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1. Aim
ECOCERT’s procedure for national and international inspection and certification aims at
Establishing a mutual partnership between our clients and ECOCERT
Efficient and objective fact finding
Decision making and control of commercial transactions with the ECOCERT guarantee.
The procedure is designed for the benefit of the operators (farmers, processors
and traders) involved in organic agriculture as well as
that of the consumers. ECOCERT's inspection and certification program is based on
the organic standard of the NPOP,
EC 2092/91, USDA (NOP), JAS Organic Standard and
other private standards. The certification service we offer is in compliance with
ISO Guide 65 as accredited by COFRAC, the French public accreditation body
and respective governmental accreditation agencies in US, Japan and India.
2. Steps towards certification
The ECOCERT procedure of certification is done in the following steps:
1. Submission of application
2. Cost Estimation
3. Invoicing and payment of fees
4. Signing of inspection contract
5. Inspection and submitting the inspection report to the certification department
6. Issuance of certification decision
7. Compliance of certification decision and issuance of certificate
8. Issue of Transaction Certificates/Inspection Certificates for traded lots
According to all the organic regulations one annual regular inspection is compulsory for all the clients.
2.1
Submission of application
Applications should be as per prescribed format – qinfo40e and submitted to:
Dr. Selvam Daniel,
Country Representative,
ECOCERT SA (India-Branch Office),
Sector 3, S-6/3&4, Hindustan Awas Ltd,
Gut No: 102, Walmi - Waluj Road, Nakshetrawadi,
Aurangabad, Maharashtra State - 431 002, INDIA.
Tel: +91-240-2377120, 2376949
Fax: 2376866
Email : [email protected] or [email protected]
A cost estimate will be developed based on the information provided and will be forwarded for approval. The inspection program, scopes, schedules, location and the technical details of the procedures are then agreed upon.
2.3
Invoicing and payment of fees
After the cost estimate is approved and the procedures are agreed upon an invoice will be submitted for payment. The inspection can only be undertaken after the payment of invoices. Additional expenses like – analysis costs, travel costs etc. will be raised after the inspections in the final invoice which has to be paid before the issuance of the certificate.
2.4
Signing of inspection contract
A service contract is signed by the first time applicants stating a commitment to organic production. ECOCERT develops a quote specific to the operator for the inspection visit(s), certification(s) and possible analysis expected for the forthcoming year. By signing both documents, the operator particularly commits him/herself to:
conform to the applicable organic production standards,
cooperate in on-site inspection visits, announced or unannounced, of organic production sites (storage, parcels, buildings etc.) and if applicable conventional production sites,
sampling for residue analysis,
he proposed inspector or inform ECOCERT of the refusal to accept the proposal,
to provide access to all production sites relevant to inspection, book-keeping, other supporting documents and related records,
to be responsible for any possible additional inspection requested by the Certification Committee following serious non-compliance with organic standards, as suggested in the sanctions catalogue.
any prohibited operation (chemical or any other products), any serious modification with regard to the organic rules and concerning the production and/or the processing of the products,
in advance, any organic processing operation carried out by a third party (sub-contracted operations) or by him/herself if irregularly conducted .
2.5 Inspection
and submitting the inspection report to the certification department
One of our experienced inspectors will be assigned to conduct the inspection visit. They will be selected according to the inspection program, the type of operation, language skills or knowledge of standards.
Logistic details such as an inspection schedule and notification of relevant partners on site will be arranged by the inspector himself, in accordance with the detailed assignment the inspector will be given by ECOCERT. The inspection includes introduction of the inspector and the inspection program: visits of fields and producers, taking samples for analysis if needed, inspection of premises, stocks and processing units, updating of documents, checking of bookkeeping records and final discussion.
Before the end of the visit, the inspector will summarise the deviations found from the standards. Fact finding and verification during inspection are reported and submitted together with all relevant documentation to the certification department of ECOCERT.
2.6
Issuance of certification decision
The aim of certification is decision-making and reporting. The certification staff will retrieve findings of the inspection report compare them with the requirements as laid down by the standards as relevant and make decision according to our approved procedures. The concluded deviations, conformity and improvement measures will be clearly stated in the certification protocol which will be sent to the client together with the inspection report.
The client when he accepts the certification decision, he/she should sign the certification decision and return it back to the ECOCERT office.
2.7 Compliance of certification decision and issuance
of certificate
The aim of certification is decision-making and reporting. The certification staff will retrieve findings of the inspection report compare them with the requirements as laid down by the standards as relevant and make decision according to our approved procedures. The concluded deviations, conformity and improvement measures will be clearly stated in the certification protocol which will be sent to the client together with the inspection report.
The client when he accepts the certification decision, he/she should sign the certification decision and return it back to the ECOCERT office.
2.8 Issue of Transaction
Certificates/Inspection Certificates for traded lots
Before importation into the European Union, importers are required to apply for import authorisation to the competent authorities in the country of import. For this purpose it may be necessary to submit the inspection report to the relevant authorities, which maybe done by client any time without ECOCERT’s approval. ECOCERT however offers its services in preparing or presenting the import application and/or providing additional required documents.
To comply with ongoing quantity checks and legal requirements, transaction certificates will be issued to the importer/buyer for each importation/traded lot of certified commodities into the European Union/USA or Japan. Based on information supplied by the exporter, the certificate will usually be sent to the importer.
Follow-up of inspection and certification consists of updating relevant information of the project in the ECOCERT's files. It includes the follow-up of improvements and conditions by the operations to continue compliance with the standard.
3. Confidentiality and Independence
ECOCERT is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all information provided for the purpose of inspection and certification.
ECOCERT's activities are limited to inspection and certification.