The mission of INAO’s “Inspection” Mission

The INAO is the competent authority responsible for defining and organizing the inspection system for all official quality and origin identification marks (SIQO) prior to market release. It delegates the task of verifying compliance with specifications to independent organizations that it accredits and evaluates. For each product bearing a designation, a control plan must be submitted by the control body and approved by the INAO. At the same time, the Accreditation and Control Council defines the general principles of control and may issue an opinion on the accreditation of control bodies.

The Accreditation and Control Council

The Accreditation and Control Council (CAC) is the INAO body that establishes the general principles for SIQO inspections.  It thus issues guidelines that must be followed by operators and inspection bodies. The INAO’s executive management establishes, by decision and following the CAC’s advice, the common inspection provisions (DCC), accredits inspection bodies, and approves inspection plans. CAC working groups may be appointed to examine various topics related to inspection. The CAC may delegate certain of its powers to its subcommittees (e.g., opinions on control or inspection plans, on the DCCs, on the accreditation of a control body, etc.).

View the opinions of the Accreditation and Oversight Council

Understanding how the INAO and its governing bodies operate

Inspection agencies

Inspection agencies are independent, accredited entities that actually carry out official inspections. To do so, they must be approved and evaluated by the INAO. There are two types:

• certification bodies (OC), accredited under the NF EN ISO/IEC 17065 standard, which certify compliance with the specifications and, where applicable, impose penalties for non-compliance,
• inspection bodies (OI), accredited under the NF EN ISO/IEC 17020 standard, which assess the product’s compliance with the provisions of the specifications and then forward the results to the INAO, which decides on any necessary follow-up actions. Inspection bodies may only inspect wine products and spirits.

Article R.642-44 of the Rural and Maritime Fisheries Code requires the INAO to publish on its website information regarding the granting or renewal of accreditation for bodies responsible for monitoring quality and origin identification marks. A table therefore lists all accredited control bodies by activity, designation, and product category, as well as the expiration date of their accreditation. 

Download the list of inspection agencies accredited by the INAO (PDF format - 304 KB)

In addition, the contact information for each inspection body is also available.

Download the contact information for each inspection body accredited by the INAO (PDF format - 152 KB)

The industry associations and management bodies designate the accredited body responsible for auditing their SIQO. In organic agriculture, it is the operator themselves who chooses the body that audits them.

Analytical laboratories

Certain control or inspection plans require analyses, such as testing for components, measuring ingredient levels, or examining certain product-specific parameters… These analyses are performed by laboratories selected by the certification body and under its responsibility. These laboratories must be accredited by the INAO.

Download the list of INAO-accredited testing laboratories (PDF format - 860 KB)

The Protection and Management Organization

The Protection and Management Organization (ODG) represents the group of operators that submits the proposed specifications for a product under the SIQO program. Each ODG selects its own certification body. This body submits a draft control or inspection plan to the INAO for approval. It must be approved before operators begin implementing the specifications. The ODG also conducts internal audits, which provide guidance to operators in their production processes through an educational approach.

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