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EXPORT INSPECTION COUNCIL OF INDIA
INDIA’S OFFICIAL PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION
AND CERTIFICATION BODY
PREFACE
Tomorrow’s emerging markets are
drivers for today’s initiatives. Excelling in what you do today helps you
to get there tomorrow. EIC-Export Inspection Council of India, a statutory
body set up by the Government of India, guarantees quality of Indian exports
through Certification schemes, which combine the best of product certification
integrated with a systems approach.
ABOUT EIC
The Export Inspection Council (EIC)
was set up by the Government of India under Section (3) of the Export (Quality
Control and Inspection) Act, 1963 (22 of 1963), for sound development of
export trade of India through Quality Control and Inspection and for matters
connected therewith. EIC is a world-class service provider when it comes
to pre-shipment inspection and certification. You can access our services
through our field organizations, the Export Inspection Agencies (EIAs),
located at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Kochi with a network of
44 sub-offices including laboratories which can provide you with the required
logistic support and testing facilities at all major ports and industrial
centers in India.
EIC-A NETWORK WITH A GLOBAL
AGENDA
As globalization intensifies with
more and more countries and sectors getting swept-up in its momentum, EIC
seeks to enhance India’s stature in the world market, through its belief
in total quality management a strategy not only for strengthening its current
position but also gaining access to new markets.
Our endeavor towards quality assurance
programmes began as early as 1963. Over the years, we have radically transformed
our activities from the regulatory domain of pre-shipment inspection to
that of a facilitator of export trade. We provide market access to exporters
through export certification based on International Standards. This helps
eliminate re-inspection of goods on arrival at foreign destinations, thus
providing a green channel entry into the international markets, avoiding
rejections and high costs of recall. As the official certification agency,
we have the mandate to resolve export related quality complaints, giving
the importing agencies and overseas buyers an added protection in assuring
quality of goods.
EIC-A COMPLETE SERVICE PROVIDER
Pre-shipment Inspection and Certification
We provide a whole range of pre-shipment
inspection and certification services from consignment-wise inspection
to quality assurance and food safety management systems based certification
covering nearly 1000 notified items ranging from food products to chemicals
to footwear to jute and jute products to engineering products. You name
the product and we have the certification capability. This certification,
as an assurance from an official agency, improves market access for the
exporters while enhancing importer’s confidence in the quality of Indian
products.
Notwithstanding the liberalization
of compulsory pre-shipment inspection, EIC continues to operate mandatory
pre-shipment inspection and certification in food sector for products like
fish and fishery products, milk products and meat and meat products and
egg products in view of growing importance of health and safety parameters
under SPS Agreement.
Impartial and independent quality
assurance system based certification has earned us international acceptance
and credence. Today, many countries rely on us for pre-shipment inspection
and certification with confidence. For instance we have been recognized
by United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for black pepper
and by European Commission (EC) for basmati rice.
Our commitment to internationally
accepted food safety management systems based certification incorporating
GMPs/GHPs/HACCP has already earned us credibility to act on behalf of many
international agencies. We have gained recognition from EC for marine products
and egg products.
A pool of highly qualified technical
personnel at ECI/EIAs share, integrate and develop expertise to provide
not only consignment-wise inspection but systems based certification as
well to stand through a constantly changing world of export trade.
EIC OFFERS SERVICES IN
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Certification of Product Quality in
accordance with the norms and legislations of different destinations worldwide
through consignment-wise inspection or systems approach including In process
Quality Control (IPQC) or Self Certification (SC).
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Approval and certification of processing
and manufacturing units based on Food Safety Management Systems like HACCP,
Good Hygiene/Manufacturing Practices (Gypsy/ GMPs).
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Product Testing – microbiological, chemical,
biochemical, physical contamination, heavy metals, pesticide residues,
biotoxins, additives and all other relevant parameters.
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Training and technical assistance to
industry in installation of food safety/quality/environment / lab management
systems meeting HACCP/ISO 9000/ISO 14000/ISO 17025 standards and norms;
product testing and certification under preferential tariff schemes.
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Issue of Certificates of
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Origin under preferential tariff schemes
like Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), Global System of Trade Preferences
(GSTP), Bangkok Agreement, Saarc Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA)
and Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA).
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Health for food items.
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Inspection for all commodities.
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Authenticity for Basmati Rice.
PRODUCT TESTING
Since all credible certification
rests on reliable and accurate testing, EIC/EIAs have created comprehensive
testing facilities at all major centres in India to support its pre-shipment
inspection and certification services. These laboratories have imbibed
quality assurance systems and are equipped to follow the procedures stipulated
by the importing countries. They can assure you testing of a wide array
of products to the highest international standards, be it fish and fishery
products or milk and milk products or basmati rice or egg and egg products
or pepper or cashew nut or chemical or engineering goods. Equipped with
the latest instrumentation and capabilities in areas like microbiological,
chemical, heavy metals, toxins, pesticide residues etc.these labs are open
to industry for commercial testing. The Pilot Test House (PTH) – a multidisciplinary
laboratory in Mumbai-is, in addition to food and agro-products, also equipped
for testing electrical and engineering goods and offers calibration electrical
and mechanical- services as well.
Our strengths have been recognized
by such demanding agencies as EC, USFDA and Japanese Ministry of Health
and Welfare. Besides, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has designated
our labs for testing of food products being imported into India.
Training and Technical Assistance
We in EIC believe that systematic
development of manpower plays a vital role in ushering in exemplary standards
in products and services.
Driven by this belief and refashioning
our role as a facilitator, we have set up a Human Resource and Quality
Development Centre (HR&QDC), a product of United Nations’ Food and
Agricultural Organization’s project on ‘Manpower Development in Food Safety
and Quality’ implemented by the EIC during 1998-2000.
With a large pool of trainers including
nearly 50 in Food Safety Management Systems, we provide the industry with
the much needed training and technical assistance in areas like ISO: 9000,
ISO: 14000 and Lab Accreditation besides Food Safety Management Systems.
Source: Export
Inspection Council of India
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