Export Inspection Agency (EIC): Certification, Services, Registration Process, and Offices in India

About Export Inspection Agency (EIC)

Under Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963, the export inspection agency inspects the consignment and issues an inspection certificate.Export inspection agency is controlled by export inspection council (EIC).

Under the council of export promotion, there are around 40 sub offices. These offices are engaged actively in certification, inspection of shipment and quality control with various laboratories across the country. The 40 sub offices are involved in- consignment wise inspection, self-certification scheme& in-process quality control. All the activities of certification and inspection are performed via export inspection agency.

The export inspection agency follows a consignment wise inspection or a systematic approach in order to include self-certification, in-process quality control, and food safety management systems based certification (PSMSC).

There are two kinds of origin certificates in India. The chamber of commerce issues the first origin certificate whereas the second origin certificate is issued by export inspection agency. Some customs of the importing countries want both of them for certifying the country of origin of goods.

Also Read: Guide for Registered Exporter System (REX)

Manufacturer exporters are promoted by the export inspection council to apply the top-quality management in order to create a steady product quality to gain buyers confidence and to fulfil theirspecifications. Take an example, from India, if you wish to export hot steel rolled coil, then you need to perform its export inspection and need to have an inspection certificate.

Certificate of Origin

With the help of certificate of origin, concessions are expanded for the stock originating in certain countries.

Export Certification Systems

Certifications based on Food Safety Management Systems

This type of certification is associated with many international standards like good management practices, hazard analysis, critical control point and general health practices in the areas of fish & fishery products, honey, poultry products, milk products and egg products.

Self-Certification

The permission for self-certification is granted by the director of inspection and quality control, export inspection council of India. This permission is given to manufacturers of marine products, chemical &allied products and engineering products. The self-certification is offered on the basis that exporter himself is the best judge of his or her products quality and will offer good quality products in the market as no exporter wants to ruin his reputation himself.

In-Process Quality Control

This kind of inspection is performed during variousproduction stages. It is mainly done for engineering products. After unit’s inspection, inspection certificate is issued to those products which grant in-process quality control (IPQC) facilities. The final end-product inspection certificate is given without detailed analysis at the shipment stage.

Consignment Wise Inspection

Under this kind of inspection, each consignment of export is tested and inspected by the recognized inspection agencies. Samples are taken on the basis of sampling plans, tested and inspected in order to ensure products conformity to the recommended standards.

Export Inspection Agency Services

Export inspection agency is known for its technically qualified manpower, quality control and forty years of experience in inspecting notified commoditiesand quality control. This also includes testing as perinternational standards or foreign buyer specifications.

The export inspection agency also issues the certificate of origin known as GSP (Generalized System of Preference). The offices of the export inspection agency are situated in all major cities of India to serve exporters in maintaining the best quality so that they can easily meet all the specifications and requirements of buyer.

Also Read: LUT Bond Registration for Exports under GST

To get origin certificate for the GSP, an individual needsto apply with export inspection agency (before physically moving goods) by filling the required form along with the commercial invoice copy. This copy should be signed by the authorized signatory.

After doing verification and collection of charges, export inspection agency certifies the document and issues the GSP certificate & original certificate along with the commercial invoices (attested copies). You can also get GSP certificate electronically or via online.

After filing the documents electronically, you need to submit the hard copies to the concerned office of council of export inspection. Pay the required charges and get GSP certificate.

Export Inspection Agency Service Areas

• laboratory testing services
• For export products, Certificates of origin are issued to various exporters under various preferential tariff schemes.
• Certification related to quality of food items for export via installing food safety management systems in the food processing units according to the international standards.
• Issuing various kinds of certificates to the exporters such as authenticity, health under various product export schemes.
• Recognition of inspection agencies as per ISO 17020 and laboratories as per ISO17025. These can be used for testing and inspection of export.
• Certification quality of export commodities by installing quality assurance system in the exporting units as well as doing consignment wise inspection.
• Technical support and training to the industry for quality and safety management systems installation.

Registration of Export Inspection Agency

You can easily register online for export inspection agency. As per online procedure, you need to fulfil certain terms & conditions in order to register for export inspection agency.

Quality Control and Export Inspection Certificates

The pre-shipment inspection and quality control is mandatory for the proper development of the trade such as export. Export inspection council is formed by the Indian government under Export or Quality Control and Inspection Act, 1963, Section 3, for pre-shipment and control of the quality. Under this act, the government already notified one thousand commodities. It covers different sectors like steel products, minerals, footwear, textiles, food and agricultural products, engineering products, rubber products, pesticides, fishery, ceramic products, and chemicals etc.

Procedure for becoming an Export Inspection Agency in India

If an agency wants to be recognized as an inspection agency for any of the notified commodities, you need to contact the nearest export inspection agency to submit an application.

• In the first step, an application must be submitted in a prescribed format along with a non-refundable fee of Rs.25000
• An application form should be submitted along with the required documents such as legal entity proof, years of experience in inspection and implementation of quality management systems to the nearest inspection agency.
• In the third step, you need to forward copy of the application form filed with nearest inspection agency along with the enclosures such as manuals, payment document to export inspection council (EIC), New Delhi.
• Then, the export inspection council examines the application and decide whether to accept it or not. If the application is accepted, an application number is allotted to the application form. EIC reserves the right to take additional information or may reject the application giving the reason in writing. The reason of rejection may be any of the following –
  • Incomplete application
  • Non-submission of documents
  • Non-payment of fees
  • Agency unsatisfactory track record
  • Agency insufficient technical capability for the scope applied for.
  • Agency seeking approval for commodity which is of no interest to EIC in the current scenario.
  • Any other reason as deemed fit by EIC.

Export Inspection Agencies and their Sub Offices in India

Inspection agencies are located at Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Find out the Address, Contact Numbers and Email Id of Export Inspection Agencies and their sub offices below -

Export Inspection Agency Delhi and their Sub Offices

Export Inspection Agency Delhi (Head Office)

Export Inspection Agency Agra (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Indore (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Jaipur (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Jalandhar (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Kanpur (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Ludhiana (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Moradabad (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Chennai and their Sub Offices

Export Inspection Agency Chennai (Head Office)

Export Inspection Agency Bhimavaram (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Coimbatore (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Hyderabad (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Nagercoil (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Tuticorin (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Visakhapatnam (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Nellore (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Kochi and their Sub Offices

Export Inspection Agency Kochi (Head Office)

Export Inspection Agency Bangalore (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Quilon (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Mangalore (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Kolkata and their Sub Offices

Export Inspection Agency Kolkata (Head Office)

Export Inspection Agency Bhubaneswar (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Dum Dum (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Mumbai and their Sub Offices

Export Inspection Agency Mumbai (Head Office)

Export Inspection Agency Ahmadabad (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Gandhidham (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Goa (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Porbandar (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Pune (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Rajkot (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Bhimavaram (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Thane (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Baroda (Sub Office)

Export Inspection Agency Veraval (Sub Office)