Government of India through Director General of Foreign Trade, New Delhi vide their Public Notice No 19(RE-2001)/1997-2002 dated 11.6.2001 have, with effect from 1.7.2001, allowed export of organic products only if they are produced, processed or packed under a valid organic certificate issued by a certifying agency accredited by one of the Accreditation Agencies designated by the Govt of India which are presently Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA), Coffee Board, Spices Board and Tea Board. The following procedure will be followed for getting accreditation from APEDA.

1) PROCEDURE

i) The certifying agencies operating in India may apply for accreditation to one of the above Indian Accreditation Agencies. The Accreditation Criteria and the Procedure for Accreditation can be purchased from one of the Accreditation Agencies. The application duly completed with all the supporting documents along with the accreditation fees of Rs 15,000/- by way of DD should be submitted to one of the Accreditation Agencies. If the application is in order, the Accreditation Agency will process the same and issue accreditation certificate by 30th June 2001.

ii) The application for accreditation will be evaluated by the Evaluator designated for the purpose by the Accreditation Agencies and submitted to the Accreditation Committee constituted for the purpose by the Accreditation Agency concerned. If the application is found in order by the Accreditation Committee, an Accreditation Certificate will be issued to the Inspecting and Certifying Agency and their name and address will be forwarded to the Customs Department so that they can notify the same to all the customs outlets. Additions and deletions to this list will be sent to the Customs Department as and when new agencies are accredited or the accreditation of any agency is cancelled.

iii) Accreditation obtained from one Accreditation Agency is valid for certification of products covered by all other Accreditation Agencies. Therefore, any of the Accreditation Agencies, when they issue accreditation certificate to any of the Inspection and Certification Agency, will inform all other Accreditation Agencies.

(iv) Chairman of the Accreditation Committee of the respective Accreditation Agencies reserves the right to reject the application for accreditation and the reason for rejection will be given in writing .

3) JURISDICTION

In case of any dispute with regard to any condition or procedure prescribed in this Trade Notice or in the Accreditation Criteria and Accreditation Procedure, the same shall be subject to jurisdiction of the court where the Headquarters of the Accreditation Agencies are situated.

(ANIL SWARUP)
CHAIRMAN,APEDA