Under the Export Act (Quality Control and Inspect) of 1963, the Export Inspection Agency examines the consignments and issues through an inspection certificate. The Export Inspection Council, EIC, regulates and controls these export inspection agencies in India. The country has around 40 subordinate offices operating under the Export Promotion Council.  

The Export Inspection Agency is actively involved in various services such as certification, inspection of shipment, checking the quality of laboratories across the country, self-certification scheme, in-process quality control, consignment-wise inspection, and many more.

Origin certificates to export goods are one of the prominent Export Inspection Agency documents. The Chamber of Commerce issues the first origin certificate, whereas the second origin certificate is processed by the Export Inspection Agency. There are customs departments of different countries that may demand both types of certificates for verification of the origin of goods.

Export Inspection Agencies in India operate under the Export Inspection Council. It is responsible for supporting the manufacturer exporters on the basis of high-quality management. It helps to create and maintain product quality, gain customers’ trust, and successfully fulfil shipment requirements.

Getting the assistance of expert DGFT consultants will help you easily get end-to-end solutions without getting stuck into the technicalities and complexities.

What is the Export Inspection Agency

EIC grants the responsibility of Export Inspection agencies and Laboratories to regulate their activities. The recognised Export Inspection Agency inspects commodities that have to be exported and provides them certification. The EIC also collaborates with these agencies in its initiatives.

EIC aims to promote manufacturers and exporters to use high-quality management systems. This tends to encourage the exporters to maintain the good quality of products and thus gain the trust and confidence of the buyers.

Some countries prefer to have valid certification with the origin of the goods imported.

Export Inspection Agency includes in-process quality control, and consignment-wise inspection and examinations. Afterwards, it issues the certificate of inspection. These agencies are engaged with the certification of laboratories across countries. They may also have a well-defined systematic approach to the certification process.

How to make your Inspection Agency Recognised as an Export Inspection Agency

To make your inspection agency operate under the Export Inspection Agency, you may file an application in the nearest Sub-Office of EIC. Professional DGFT consultants can help you easily file the application with relevant documents.

There is a well-defined process for the application. You will have to pay a non-refundable fee while filing the application. 

The application will include the specifications of commodities that are notified, the ones you want to get inspected. Other than the documents, you will have to submit legal identity proofs to claim the credibility of your Export Inspection Agency. Along with that the agency’s experience and quality management techniques also have to be submitted with details to maintain transparency.

The Export Inspection Council then examines the application and inspects whether it is eligible to be accepted or not. If accepted, your agency will receive the recognition and acknowledgement. If rejected, the EIC will inform you of the reasons and other relevant information, with a copy submitted to the Suboffice.

If your application gets rejected, the following may be the reasons:

• All the mentioned documents are not submitted.
• The application is registered incomplete.
• Fees balance.
• The EIC does not feel the necessity to have the commodity you are offering.
• The technical insufficiency of the inspection agency. 
• The agency’s past performance and records are not quite satisfactory and promising. 
• Any other reason that would be mentioned by the EIC.

Future scope for Export Inspection Agency

The Central Government has announced notification regarding the commodities of the EIC. it has also mentioned the basic standards to control the quality, process, and pre-shipment inspections.

According to the Act, around 1000 products or commodities are mentioned. These commodities relate to various sectors such as ceramic products, chemicals, fisheries, rubber products, pesticides, engineering products, textiles, minerals, food and agricultural products, steel commodities, and much more.

For the effective development of the export industry, pre-shipment and quality control inspection is important.

The Export Inspection Agency can issue certificates regarding the origin, self-certification, consignment-wise inspection, food safety management system under FSSAI, in-process quality control, hallmarking, AGMARK registration, ISO certification, ISI registration, and FPO.

Conclusion

Recently buyers across the globe have demanded certification of inspection by a recognised and certified Export Inspection Agency. Every buyer prefers to be assured that the goods are of high quality and meet the standards they expect and desire to provide to their customers.

To gain in-depth insights and enjoy maximum benefits from the Export Inspection Agency it is recommended to have experienced  DGFT consultants to guide you. The professional consultants will provide hassle-free DGFT consultancy services which will take your export inspection agency to unprecedented heights. 

We hope by now you have got enough relevant information about the Export Inspection Agency, how it works, and how it encourages exporters and manufacturers to enhance their business.