1. QUALITY CONTROL & CERTIFICATION FOR FACILITATING EXPORTS
EIC
January 2008

2. COVERAGE Export Quality Control – A background EIC/EIA Structure
EIC – role in exports
Equivalence Agreements/ MoUs/ MRAs
Steps to enhance credibility of EIC certification
EIC- Important contributions
Vision
Cooperation in Conformity Assessment Activities – EIC focus

3. Q- IMPORTANCE FOR EXPORT
Demand for quality by consumers, both domestic & overseas
With globalization - WTO - dismantling of barriers for free flow of trade-creation of global market with equal access to all countries
Strong need to focus on quality for overseas consumer
Additionally governments realized their role to protect health & safety of populations
Quality, safety issues have acquired centrestage in global trade
Both role of industry & government important
Government role in facilitation is twofold - building up capabilities of industry and Quality certification

4. BENEFITS OF Q CERTIFICATION
Help to build image of country as ensures that inferior quality product not exported
Minimizes trade impediments by reducing time for testing at importing end
Minimize/eliminate rejections at importing end
More cost effective as cost of recall, destruction & diversion of consignments minimized
Reduce variation in Q due to production by small enterprises
Helps in capacity building in country
Provides protection to consumers of importing country as broad objective is to meet importing requirements

5. EXPORT QUALITY CONTROL SCENARIO
The importance of quality control for exports recognized as early as 1963 & GoI enacted the Export (QC&I) Act, 1963 – an umbrella Act governing quality of exports
EIC set up to advise Government on measures for sound development of exports through Quality Control & inspection to include
notification of standards
certification systems (CWI/Systems Approach)
Agencies for QC & I established/ recognised
EIC operates certification through 5 EIAs at Mumbai, Kochi, Kolkata, Delhi & Chennai; 38 Sub-offices & labs & other designated CABs

6. EIC / EIA Network

7. EIC-ROLE IN EXPORT
Inspection & Certification to address health & safety concerns of importing countries
mandatory – 6 items (marine, dairy, egg, poultry, meat products and honey)
Voluntary – tea, spices, basmati rice, herbal, Voluntary food scheme, HACCP, organic, feeds
Issue of all types of export certificates-GMO, health, etc
Recognition/ Designation Activities
Equivalence Agreements/MOUs with trading partners for recognition of EIC’s certification
Addressing Non-tariff Issues through dialogue with overseas governments on concerns & taking up at various international fora
Capacity Building - training

8. EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEMS IN INDIA 1
Legislative Framework
Order
Lays down minimum standards-recognizes International, importing country & contractual standards
Refers to Rules for type of QC, inspection & monitoring
Prohibits Exports – unless product conforms to standard & accompanied by certificate stating that unit approved & monitored by CA
Rules
Laid down for implementation of Order
Lay down systems of certification for implementation of Order ie reqts for hygienic handling of products including HACCP if specified
Lay down the basis of compliance
- Responsibility of processor & EIC

9. EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEMS IN INDIA 2
Control Programmes & Operations
Systems of Certification
Consignment wise inspection
Systems approach (Food Safety Mgmt Systems Based Certification)
Basis of compliance
Primary responsibility on processor – plan & implement in-process controls, develop own-check systems, maintain records
EIC to approve & ensure compliance
Approval of units – through a 2 level process – conditional & final - IDP conducts two assessments
Period of Approval – 2 years

10. EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEMS IN INDIA 3
Aspects covered
- GMP/GHP/HACCP
- Minimum test facilities
- Waste disposal/Effluent treatment mechanism,pest control
- Record keeping mechanism
- Competence of technical manpower
- Conformance of products to standards
Compliance ensured through 3-tier surveillance system
Testing as per latest technology & systems requirements
Residue monitoring and control
Complaint handling system including dealing with returned consignments

11. TESTING Laboratory Testing - Purpose
Support for Export Inspection & Certification
Commercial testing (facilities extended to industry)
Import testing of food items-EIA Labs identified by MoH&FW
Pesticide residues for National RMP by MoA
Parameters tested - Pesticide residues, antibiotic residues, heavy metals, microbiological parameters, water as per EC directives
Total laboratory infrastructure – 5 labs at EIAs, 13 SO labs for microbiological testing, 11 recognized labs
Accreditation Status – Koch accredited; Mumbai, Chennai & Kolkatta in process

12. UNITS APPROVED Marine : 368 (189 EU) Dairy : 55 egg : 3 Poultry : 4
Honey : 2
Rice : 6
black pepper : 8
others- ice plants, cold storages, etc : 70 (23 CS for EU),
Engineering : 22
Footwear : 2
Chemicals :8

13. 3-TIER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM
MONITORING BY EIA OFFICIALS TO VERIFY
Sanitation & Hygiene
Process controls
Implementation of HACCP plan
Records
Observe testing by laboratories
Draw samples of raw materials, water , ice, finished products, swabs of workers hands and work places
SUPERVISORY VISITS TO CHECK
Compliance to norms by processors
Quality and correctness of monitoring by EIA officers.
CORPORATE AUDITS
Independent audit by EIC to verify operation of scheme by EIAs as per documented systems.

14. COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDURE
Complaints received
Unit placed on Alert ( increase monitoring; 10 consignments tested)
Investigation – visit to unit/information from processor
Satisfactory – ‘on alert’ continues
Unsatisfactory - consignments contaminated/ unsatisfactory hygienic conditions/ samples fail
Prodn & export stopped till corrective actions taken
Show cause why approval not withdrawn
Corrective actions taken and verified
Satisfactory; resume production and exports
Officer deputed for10-30 days; 10 consignments tested
If unsatisfactory, then approval withdrawn

15. RECOGNITION/DESIGNATION ACTIVITIES
Streamline Inspection/ Certification/ Testing For Export
Approving inspection Agencies as per latest international standards ISO for iron ore
Recognizing labs as per international criteria (ISO 17025) for export testing to supplement own capabilities – 11 recognized
EIC Central Monitoring Authority for coordinating and monitoring certification in area of meat and meat products – procedure recently developed
Role of Designating Authority under Singapore MRA for electrical & electronics products
EU countries also taking services of designated bodies including private – accreditation not pre-requisite

16. EQUIVALENCE AGREEMENTS/MOUS/MRAS -1
EC - Designated CA for marine products & basmati rice; dialogue on for dairy, egg, poultry meat, honey
USA (USFDA) - recognized for Black Pepper – no detention if accompanied by EIC certificate; started dialogue for poultry
Singapore – MRA in area of food & agri, electrical & electronics, drugs, telecommunication
Australia (AQIS) - recognized for marine products – seeking for dairy, spices, honey, etc
Sri Lanka (SLSI) - recognized for 85 regulated prods (food, cement, engineering/electrical, etc)

17. EQUIVALENCE AGREEMENTS/MOUs/MRAs -2
Italy – fish & fishery products
Japan – recognized EIC certification for poultry products wef 13 October 2005
Turkey – recognized EIA health certificates for all food items, stainless steel utensils & packaging material for foods
S.Korea (KFDA)- recognised for food/ agriculture prods
China – Agreement on Iron ore finalized
Nepal – all agriculture & food products
Others - EU (France), Mexico, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Pakistan, Mauritius, Thailand, JapanIndonesia, Malaysia

18. STEPS TO ENHANCE CREDIBILITY OF EIC CERTIFICATION
Upgraded to bring certification in line with int standards
Streamlined existing schemes in line with int reqts
Developed RMPs in line with reqts of importing countries
Monitoring based on risk-based inspection & certification
Upgrading Conformity Assessment Infrastructure
Legislative framework
Infrastructural facilities
Laboratories (State-of-the-art equipment - parameters include pesticide/ antibiotic residues, heavy metals, microbiology, water as per EC; systems as per ISO 17025)
Computerization - Streamlining CoO activity, providing online services to exporters
Upgrading Manpower: Trainings – 10th Plan
Exporters : Programs; 3211 participants
Own manpower :58 Programs; 1187 participants
EU TIDP Projects

19. STEPS TO ENHANCE CREDIBILITY OF EIC CERTIFICATION
Systems Upgradation
Streamlined existing schemes in line with int reqts
Developed RMPs in line with reqts of importing countries
Monitoring risk-based
Upgrading CA Infrastructure
Legislative framework
Infrastructural facilities
Laboratories (equipment/methods/systems, manpower)
Computerization
Upgrading Manpower: Trainings – 10th Plan
Exporters : Programs; 3211 participants
Own manpower :58 Programs; 1187 participants,

20. IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF EIC
Increase in exports Year
marine products Value (cr Rs)
Quantity (lakh mt)
Access of Indian products in foreign markets – Poultry products in Japan, egg products in Singapore, marine products in EC
Reductions in rejections by EC – fish & fishery prods
Streamlining exports through MRA/ Equivalence Agreements
Helping industry build up facilities indirectly through constant monitoring of requirements of infrastructure, HACCP,

21. VISION FOR EIC
Facilitate worldwide access for Indian Exports through a credible and efficient inspection and certification system and earn global recognition of EIC as India’s premier organization for certifying quality and safety to meet international norms

22. Cooperation in Conformity Assessment Activities – EIC focus
Work towards acceptance by USA of products exported from India based on implementation of registration & certification programs (voluntary & mandatory) as per US requirements with minimal import checks
Work out joint systems for dealing with rejections including joint testing, strengthening registration & certification systems
Work out information sharing mechanisms especially on legislative & regulatory requirements; inspection, sampling & test methods & procedures
Cooperation in areas of manpower upgradation & exchange of technical expertise
Input US regulatory requirements productwise on existing EIC portal on food products

23. THANK YOU