INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS14

SECTION 6. INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS

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6.1 Inspection and certification systems are used to verify the labelling of, and claims for, organically produced

foods. Development of these systems should take into account the Principles for Food Import and Export

Inspection and Certification

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, the Guideline for the Design, Operation, Assessment and Accreditation of Food

Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems.

^16,17

6.2 Competent authorities should establish an inspection system operated by one or more designated authorities

and/or officially recognized inspection/certification

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bodies to which the operators producing, preparing or

importing products as referred to in paragraph 1.1 should be subject.

6.3 The officially recognized inspection and certification systems should comprise at least the application of the

measures and other precautions set out in Annex 3.

6.4 For the application of the inspection system operated by the official or officially recognized certification body or

authority, countries should identify a competent authority responsible for the approval and supervision of such

bodies:

– the identified competent authority may delegate, while maintaining the responsibility for the decisions and

actions taken, the assessment and supervision of private inspection and certification bodies to a private or

public third party hereafter referred to as its “designate”. If delegated, the private or public third party

should not be engaged in inspection and/or certification;

– for this purpose an importing country may recognize a third party accrediting body when the exporting

country lacks an identified competent authority and a national program.

6.5 In order to attain approval as an officially recognized certification body or authority, the competent authority, or

its designate, when making its assessment should take into account the following:

a) the standard inspection/certification procedures to be followed, including detailed description of the

inspection measures and precautions which the body undertakes to impose on operators subject to

inspection;

b) the penalties which the body intends to apply where irregularities and/or infringements are found;

14

The systems conducted by certification bodies may in some countries be equivalent to those systems conducted by inspection bodies. Therefore, the term “inspection and certification” has been used wherever these systems may be synonymous.

15

CAC/GL 20-1995.

16

CAC/GL 26-1997.

17

See also other agreed international standards, e.g. ISO65.

18

In organic approval processes reference is frequently made to certification performed by either a ‘certification body’ or an ‘inspection body’. Where these functions are conducted by the same body there must be clear separation of the inspection and certification roles.

c) the availability of appropriate resources in the form of qualified staff, administrative and technical facilities,

inspection experience and reliability;

d) the objectivity of the body vis-à-vis the operators subject to inspection.

6.6 The competent authority or its designate should:

a) ensure that the inspections carried out on behalf of the inspection or certification body are objective;

b) verify the effectiveness of inspections;

c) take cognizance of any irregularities and/or infringements found and penalties applied;

d) withdraw approval of the certification body or authority where it fails to satisfy the requirements referred to

in (a) and (b) or, no longer fulfils the criteria indicated in paragraph 6.5 or, fails to satisfy the requirements

laid down in paragraphs 6.7 to 6.9.

6.7 Official and/or officially recognized certification bodies or authority referred to in paragraph 6.2 should:

a) ensure that at least the inspection measures and precautions specified in Annex 3 are applied to

undertakings subject to inspection; and

b) not disclose confidential information and data obtained in their inspection or certification activities to

persons other than the person responsible for the undertaking concerned and the competent authorities.

6.8 Official or officially recognized inspection and/or certification bodies or authority should:

a) give the competent authority or its designate, for audit purposes, access to their offices and facilities and,

for random audit of its operators, access to the facilities of the operators, together with any information

and assistance deemed necessary by the competent authority or its designate for the fulfilment of its

obligations pursuant to these guidelines;

b) send to the competent authority or its designate each year a list of operators subject to inspection for the

previous year and present to the said authority a concise annual report.

6.9 The designated authority and the official or officially recognized certification body or authority referred to in

paragraph 6.2 should:

a) ensure that, where an irregularity is found in the implementation of Sections 3 and 4, or of the measures

referred to in Annex 3, the indications provided for in paragraph 1.2 referring to the organic production

method are removed from the entire lot or production run affected by the irregularity concerned;

b) where a manifest infringement, or an infringement with prolonged effects is found, prohibit the operator

concerned from marketing products with indications referring to the organic production method for a

period to be agreed with the competent authority or its designate.

6.10 The requirements of the Guidelines for the Exchange of Information between Countries on Rejections of

Imported Food

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should apply where the competent authority finds irregularities and/or infringements in the

application of these guidelines.