The upgrade of EurepGAP benchmarked schemes towards equivalence to the Version 2004 of the Fruit and Vegetable Reference Standard runs on schedule. All schemes submitted their new versions last year and passed the member peer review via the new EurepGAP online benchmaking procedure. 

While minor adaptations take place until the TSC decision in February 2005, these schemes are given a period of three months until 31st March 2005 to adapt  the implementation procedure to their systems and may
continue issuing scheme certificates based on the benchmark against the old protocol version (September 2001). However, the validity of all certificates to this old version (generic and benchmarked) expires on 31st December 2005.

Please see in the website section  "Approved Schemes" for an update of the status of re-benchmarking.