According to a report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA), a number of competent authorities in the Member States do not sufficiently fulfill their supervisory role over control bodies. In addition, among other conclusions, the system governing the various import schemes was also found to have weaknesses.

The European Court of Auditors’s special report No. 9/2012 shows that a number of competent authorities in the Member States do not sufficiently fulfill their supervisory role over control bodies. As a result certain control bodies fail to satisfy a number of EU requirements and fail to take the opportunity to implement certain good practices. Also the Commission had not audited Member States’ control systems between 2001 and the time of the Court’s audit. The report also concludes that the competent authorities in Member States encounter difficulties in ensuring the traceability of organic products within their territories and such traceability is even more difficult to achieve for products that have crossed borders. In relation to imported organic products, the system governing the various import schemes was also found to have weaknesses. In February 2012, it was reached an historic New Partnership on Organic Trade between the European Union and the United States.

Since 2012, the Commission’s replies show broad agreement with the Court's recommendations including specific audits on the control systems for organic production by the Food and Veterinary Office from 2012 onwards. Such recommendations include for example that the competent Member State authorities should strengthen their supervisory role over control bodies; and the exchange of information within Member States, between the Member States and the Commission and among the Member States themselves should be improved. On the other hand, regarding imports, the Commission should ensure that the countries in the list of those recognised as being equivalent for organic production are adequately supervised.

Therefore, the Court considers that the shortcomings highlighted by its audit need to be remedied in order to provide sufficient assurance that the system is operating effectively and ensure that consumer confidence is not undermined.