Indonesian Coffee EU Organic COI in TRACES: 2025 Guide

A practical, field-by-field walkthrough to complete Part I of the EU Organic Certificate of Inspection (COI) in TRACES NT for Indonesian green coffee beans. Clear answers on HS codes, roles, deadlines, common errors, and what to do when plans change—so your shipment clears EU organic controls without delays in 2025.

If you ship organic Indonesian green coffee to the EU, you already know this: the COI in TRACES NT is where many deals stall. We’ve seen consignments held for days over a mis-click in Part I or a missing linkage to the exporter’s organic certificate. In this 2025 guide, we’ll show you the exact field choices, codes, and fixes we use so your coffee clears EU organic control without drama.

The promise: a clean COI every time

We went from inconsistent endorsements to near-100% first-pass approvals by focusing on three things: the right HS/product mapping, clean operator linkages, and predictable documentation. It’s not magic. It’s repeatable operations.

The 3 pillars of a fast, clean COI endorsement

Get the taxonomy right.

Product category. Choose A. Unprocessed plant products. Green coffee beans are unprocessed plant products for EU organic purposes.
HS/CN code. For green coffee beans, select HS 0901. In many Member States you’ll refine to CN 8-digit 09011100 or 09011190 (coffee, not roasted, not decaffeinated). If TRACES asks for CN code and you’re unsure which 8-digit your customs broker will use, align with the importer’s customs instruction. Wrong HS is a common reason for queries.
Product description. Use “Green coffee beans, Indonesian origin, Arabica/Robusta, crop year, grade.” Example: “Green coffee beans, Arabica, Sumatra, Organic Grade 2, crop 2024/25.”

Lock in operator linkages before you draft.

Exporter in Indonesia. Must be registered in TRACES NT and linked by their control body with correct scope: trade/export of product category A, coffee.
Importer in the EU. Must be registered organic operator in their Member State and appear in TRACES NT.
First consignee. Must be an EU organic operator too. If it’s a bonded warehouse that will physically receive goods, they need organic certification as “first consignee/storage” under their Member State’s control body.

Attach what the control body actually uses to endorse.

Final commercial invoice and packing list (with lot IDs and bag counts by lot).
Draft bill of lading or booking confirmation with vessel/voyage and ETD/ETA.
Exporter’s organic certificate PDF showing product category A and coffee clearly within scope, valid on shipment date.
For ICS/multi-farm lots, the traceability lot list linking farms to export lot IDs. We add moisture and defect summaries per lot when available. It speeds up endorsement.

Takeaway. If you only change one thing this year, align HS/CN with the importer’s customs team and preload documents before you click “Send for endorsement.” It shaves days off.

Week 1–2: Validation and setup you shouldn’t skip

Here’s the thing. Most “No valid organic certificate found” errors trace back to setup.

Ensure your Indonesian exporter profile is linked to the right control body in TRACES NT. Ask your control body to add or update you and tick product category A. If you changed address or legal entity this year, your linkage can silently break.
Confirm the importer’s chosen control authority/body at point of entry. In the Netherlands it’s usually SKAL. In other countries it’s often the importer’s own control body. Don’t guess. The importer should tell you what to select in Box 11.
Timing. Your control body must endorse the COI before the consignment departs Indonesia. In practice, we target endorsement 2–3 working days before ETD. Some CBs in Indonesia need 24–72 hours depending on volume.

Need help diagnosing a stubborn setup error or a linkage issue? Share a redacted screenshot and we’ll walk you through it. If it’s urgent, Contact us on whatsapp.

Week 3–6: Drafting Part I of the COI in TRACES NT (field-by-field)

Part I is on you or your freight forwarder. Part II is the Indonesian control body’s endorsement. Part III is checked at EU entry.

Box 1 Issuing control body. Choose your Indonesian control body from the TRACES list. This is the body that will endorse Part II.
Box 2 Exporter. Your Indonesian exporting entity as it appears on the organic certificate and TRACES.
Box 3 First consignee. The EU operator physically receiving the goods. For bonded warehouses, list the warehouse operator if they take possession. They must be certified organic.
Box 4 Importer. The EU company responsible for the import under customs. Often different from the first consignee. Confirm with your buyer.
Box 5 Country of origin. Indonesia.
Box 6 Country of export. Indonesia.
Box 7 Country of destination. The EU Member State where customs clearance or first unloading occurs.
Box 8 Means of transport. Select sea freight and enter vessel name and voyage if available. If still TBA, annotate the booking reference and update once you have the bill of lading.
Box 9 Estimated arrival date. ETA at EU port. Update if the schedule shifts.
Box 10 Gross/Net weight. Net is the product weight excluding bags and pallets. Gross includes packing, pallets, and dunnage. If you include pallet weight in net, expect queries. We add a note in “Documents” clarifying tare per bag when there’s any ambiguity.
Box 11 Control authority/body at point of entry and point of entry. Ask the importer what to select. In Member States with a single authority (e.g., SKAL in NL) it’s straightforward. Else, it’s typically the importer’s control body. For point of entry, choose the customs office/port where the consignment enters the EU.
Box 12 Documents. Upload invoice, packing list, booking or draft BL, exporter’s organic certificate, and ICS lot list if applicable.
Box 13 Description of products. Product category. A. Unprocessed plant products. HS/CN. 0901, and where required 09011100 or 09011190. Description. “Green coffee beans, Arabica, Sumatra, Organic Grade 2, crop 24/25.” Packaging. “Jute bags, 60 kg net, 320 bags.” Lot IDs. Include internal lot numbers per line. If you’re mixing multiple grades or regions, create separate lines. Example: line 1 “Arabica Blue Batak,” line 2 “Arabica Gayo,” both under category A and HS 0901.

Example. Shipping a 19.2 MT FCL of our Sumatra Arabica Organic Grade 2 Green Coffee Beans. We list 320 x 60 kg jute sacks. Net 19,200 kg. Gross 19,680 kg if each bag has 1.5 kg tare plus pallets. Product category A, HS 09011100. Description notes ICS batch numbers and crop year.

Practical tip. If you plan to split the container to two EU warehouses, use the final first consignee that will receive the goods at entry. If a subsequent transfer happens post-clearance, it’s handled under the importer’s organic system, not the COI.

Week 7–12: Scaling the process with zero surprises

Templates. We use a single-page “COI data sheet” per shipment with the importer’s control body, point of entry, CN code, tare assumptions, and consignee details. Pass it to your forwarder and buyer. Fewer email loops, fewer last-minute edits.
Version control. Any change to vessel, ETA, or port of entry triggers a “request for amendment” in TRACES. Do this before departure if you can. After departure, you’ll need the control authority at the new entry point to accept the change. The sooner you flag it, the better.
Pre-advice to importer. Send the draft COI number and a PDF of Part I. Many importers set internal checks around it. It signals professionalism and prevents idle time at the border.

Specific questions we’re asked every week

What HS code and product category should I select for Indonesian green coffee beans in TRACES?

Choose product category A. Unprocessed plant products. For HS, select 0901. If the system asks for 8-digit CN, use 09011100 or 09011190 for non-roasted, non-decaffeinated green coffee. Align with the importer’s customs broker.

Who creates and issues the EU organic COI for Indonesian coffee, and when?

The exporter or importer can draft Part I in TRACES NT. The COI is issued by the Indonesian control body that certifies the exporter. They must endorse Part II before the consignment leaves Indonesia. We recommend submitting for endorsement 2–3 working days pre-ETD.

How do I fix the “No valid organic certificate found for the operator” error in TRACES?

Ask your control body to confirm your TRACES linkage and scope include product category A and coffee.
Check certificate validity covers shipment date and legal entity name matches TRACES exactly.
If you recently added a site or changed address, have the CB update your operator record and re-link. Then refresh the COI draft.
If you’re shipping a special process (e.g., wine-fermented lots like our Bali, Java, Gayo & Mandheling - Wine Green Arabica Coffee Beans), ensure “processing/handling” scope is on your certificate if required by your CB.

What documents should I attach to help my control body endorse the COI quickly?

Final invoice and packing list with lot IDs.
Draft BL/booking confirmation with ETD/ETA and vessel.
Exporter organic certificate PDF.
For ICS/multi-farm shipments, the farm/lot traceability list. Add moisture and defect summaries if available. This reduces back-and-forth.

How do I correctly fill importer vs first consignee for a bonded warehouse delivery?

Importer is the EU company legally importing. First consignee is the EU operator physically receiving the goods. If a bonded warehouse takes custody post-clearance, it’s usually the first consignee. They must have organic certification for storage. Confirm with your buyer which warehouse is named on the delivery order.

Can one COI cover multiple farm lots or mixed grades of Indonesian coffee?

Yes, if all are certified under the same exporter control body and consigned in one shipment. Use separate lines in Box 13 for each grade/origin with clear lot IDs. Don’t mix products certified by different control bodies on a single COI. If you mix Arabica and Robusta, keep them as separate lines under HS 0901 with unambiguous descriptions.

What happens if the port of entry changes after the COI has been issued?

Request a modification in TRACES NT. Your control body can reopen and re-endorse Part I if the vessel hasn’t departed. After departure, coordinate with the importer’s control authority at the new entry point to accept the change. Update ETA and transport details too. We flag schedule changes to the CB the same day to avoid rejections at the border.

The 5 mistakes that kill organic clearance (and how to avoid them)

Wrong HS/CN or product category. Align with the importer’s customs code list before drafting.
First consignee not certified. Warehouses need organic scope if they physically receive the goods.
Net vs gross mismatch. Use net for product only. Use gross including bags and pallets. Add a tare note if heavy jute.
Missing ICS mapping. When multiple farm lots are in one container, attach the lot-to-farm map your CB expects.
Late endorsement. Submitting the COI the day of sailing often fails. Build a 2–3 day buffer.

When this advice applies (and when it doesn’t)

This guide covers Indonesian green coffee beans entering the EU under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and TRACES NT, effective 2025. It does not cover roasted/soluble products, nor EUDR timber/deforestation checks or CHED veterinary controls. If you’re shipping conventional lots like Blue Batak Green Coffee Beans or Flores Green Coffee Beans (Grade 1), you don’t need a COI at all. For organic consignments, use the process above and you’ll be fine.

If you want a second set of eyes on a draft COI or need to map mixed-lot shipments, we’re happy to help you get it right the first time. Share the anonymized Part I PDF and we’ll suggest edits. Or if it’s time-sensitive, Contact us on email.