Control body

INAO is the public body entrusted by the French government with overseeing the control system for official signs of quality and origin (SIQO). Official controls are delegated to independent, accredited bodies, which are approved and assessed by INAO.

This section contains all the useful information for control bodies, whether they are certification bodies (CB) or inspection bodies (IB).

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Obtain INAO approval

In order to guarantee their competence, as well as their impartiality and independence with regard to inspected operators, inspection bodies must be accredited by the French Accreditation Committee (COFRAC) and approved by the INAO.

To find out more about the approach, click here

The legal framework for control

Controls (general)
PDO / PGI / TSG (excluding wine products)
PDO / PGI wine appellations
GI spirits
Organic Farming

Secondary regulations, adopted on the basis of Regulation 2018/848, have also been adopted and must be complied with. They are available for consultation on EUR-LEX website. 

Pending harmonised production rules for these products and activities at European level, specifications have been approved in France:

Since 2018, the INAO has been gradually rolling out a harmonised control system based on common control provisions (CCPs) and specific control provisions (SCPs). This approach harmonises and simplifies the control system

Consult the set of common control provisions

The guidelines are issued by  INAO's governing bodies . They establish the procedures for carrying out their duties in applying the regulations relating to the official signs of quality and origin  (SIQO). These guidelines apply to these bodies as well as to the third parties concerned (operators, defence and management bodies, control bodies, etc.). Here are the guidelines of the Approval and Control Board:

* La directive INAO-DIR-CAC-3 a été abrogée et remplacée par la Directive n°INAO-DIR-CAC-7 : Principes généraux du contrôle de la production biologique (format PDF - 128ko)

La directive INAO-DIR-CAC-4 a été abrogée et remplacée par la circulaire INAO-CIRC-2015-01, abrogée à son tour et remplacée par la circulaire INAO-CIRC-2022-02 : Rapports annuels d'activité (format PDF - 187ko). 
La directive n°INAO-DIR-CAC-5 a été abrogée et remplacée par la circulaire INAO-CIRC-2021-04 : Procédures et modalités d'agrément des organismes de contrôles (format PDF - 628ko).

Circulars are issued by the INAO management. They establish the procedures for implementing legislative or regulatory provisions, or directives from the INAO authorities, which apply to third parties concerned (operators, defence and management bodies, control bodies, etc.). Under no circumstances may they create new rules of law. Several circulars concern the supervision of control.

The compendium of guidelines issued by the INAO's Accreditation and Control Board (CAC) was drawn up so that all CAC guidelines not included in a directive and having an impact on the activities of control bodies could be brought to their attention.  
They can thus take this into account in their draft control or inspection plans, or plan modifications, or in the performance of their duties with regard to approval. For further information, control bodies are invited to contact territorial delegations who will provide them with all the assistance they need to compile their file.

Consult the collection of guidelines from the INAO's Accreditation and Control Council (CAC) (PDF format / 865 KB)

European regulations require each Member State to draw up a multi-annual control plan. This PNCOPA outlines the organisation and operation of the French control system throughout the food chain. It also includes the procedures for adapting this system in line with a continuous improvement approach and the priority areas defined for the years 2021-2025.

National Multi-Annual Official Control Plan 2021-2025 (PNCOPA) - Updated version in 2022 (PDF format, 1.19 Mo)

The control plan

The control body is required to draw up a control or inspection plan, in consultation with the defense and management organization that selected it. For products subject to the application of common control provisions (CCP), the organization draws up the specific control provisions (SCP) for the specifications concerned.

To find out more about drawing up a control plan, click here!

Olives
©Syndicat des AOP Olive et Huile d'olive de Nîmes

Common control provisions

The INAO is gradually rolling out a simplified inspection system, based on common inspection provisions (DCC) and specific inspection provisions (DCS). This approach makes it possible to harmonize and simplify the control system, with the aim in particular of reducing the time taken to appraise control plans.

Consult all common control provisions

The list of inspection bodies and analysis laboratories

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

Download the list of inspection bodies approved by INAO (PDF format / 593ko)

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

Download contact details for each INAO-approved inspection body (PDF format / 288ko)

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

For most SIQO products, certain characteristics can only be inspected by laboratory analysis, and INAO is responsible for accrediting laboratories.

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

For more information on SIQO inspections, click here!