INAO's "Control" mission

INAO is the competent authority responsible for defining and organizing the control system for all official signs of quality and origin (SIQO) prior to marketing. It delegates control of compliance with specifications to independent bodies that it approves and assesses. An inspection plan must be submitted by the inspection body and validated by the INAO for each product covered by the label. At the same time, the Conseil des Agréments et des Contrôles defines the general principles of control and can issue an opinion on the approval of control bodies.

The Conseil des Agréments et des Contrôles

The Conseil des Agréments et des Contrôles (CAC) is the INAO body that sets the general principles of SIQO controls. It thus issues directives that must be respected by operators and inspection bodies. INAO management sets common control provisions (DCC) by decision, and after advice from the CAC, approves control bodies and control plans. Working groups of the CAC may be appointed to conduct discussions on various inspection-related topics. The CAC may delegate some of its powers to its restricted formations (e.g.: opinions on control or inspection plans, on DCCs, on the approval of a control body...).

Consult the opinions of the Conseil des agréments et contrôle

Understanding the workings of the INAO and its bodies

Control bodies

Control bodies are the independent, accredited players who actually carry out official controls. To do so, they must be approved and assessed by the INAO. They can be of two types:

• certifying bodies (CB), accredited to NF EN ISO/CEI 17065, which certify compliance with the content of the specifications, and, where appropriate, sanction non-compliance,
• inspection bodies (IB), accredited to NF EN ISO/CEI 17020, which examine product conformity with the provisions of the specifications, then forward the results to INAO, which decides on any action to be taken. IOs can only inspect wine products and spirit drinks.

Article R.642-44 of the Code rural et de la pêche maritime obliges INAO to mention on its website the granting or renewal of approval for bodies responsible for inspecting quality and origin identification signs. A table therefore presents all approved inspection bodies by activity, sign and product categories, as well as the expiry date of this approval.

Download the list of INAO-approved inspection bodies (PDF format - 304ko)

In addition, contact details for each inspection body are also available.

Download contact details for each INAO-approved inspection body (PDF format - 335ko)

It is the defense and management organizations that designate the approved body responsible for inspecting their SIQO. In organic farming, it is the operator himself who chooses the inspection body.

Analysis laboratories

Some control or inspection plans call for analyses, such as the search for components, the measurement of the presence rate of ingredients or the study of certain parameters characteristic of the product... These analyses are carried out by laboratories, chosen by the inspection body and under their responsibility. These laboratories must be accredited by the INAO.

Download the list of analysis laboratories authorized by the INAO (PDF format - 1,3mo)

The defense and management organization

The defense and management organization (ODG) represents the collective of operators who submit the proposed specifications for a SIQO product. Each ODG chooses its inspection body. This body submits a draft control or inspection plan to the INAO for approval. It must be approved before operators can begin implementing the specifications. The ODG also carries out internal controls, which enable it to support operators in their production process, using an educational approach.

To find out more about the defense and management organizations and their missions, click here