The Export Inspection Council (EIC) is India's official export certification authority established by the government to certify the safety and quality of exported products (1). EIC ensures products meet quality and safety standards through certification or inspection and issues certifications like quality, health, origin, and food safety certificates to help exporters meet import requirements (2). EIC also conducts quality control, safety inspections, provides testing facilities, and trains industry on quality and safety management systems to facilitate exports that meet international standards (3).

1. Export Inspection Council/
Export Inspection Agency –
(EIA/EIC)

2. • The Export Inspection Council (EIC) is India’s official export-certification
authority, formed to certify the safety and quality of products that are exported
from India.
• Set up by the government, the Export Inspection Council falls under Section 3
of the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963.
• An exporter can only sell goods internationally if it can meet the importing
country's requirements, both in terms of quality and safety.
Export Inspection
Council/Agency (EIA/EIC)

3. The Role of Export Inspection Council
1. Ensure the quality and safety of products
Export Inspection Council assures the quality and safety of
the products specified under the Export (Quality Control and
Inspection) Act 1963 through either quality assurance or
food safety management-based certification or a
consignment wise inspection.

4. 2. Provide Certifications
These are some of the certifications that EIC facilitates,
either by itself or through its network of field organizations.
• Quality Certification for export goods by installing quality
assurance procedures (In-process Quality Control and
Self-Certification) in the export units and via
consignment-wise examination.
• Quality Certification for exportable food items by
installing Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) in
the food dispensation units, that are on par with
international guidelines.
• EIC issues various certificates like health and
authenticity, to exporters through multiple product export
schemes.
• Certificates of Origin are issued to exporters through
preferential tariff policies for products.

5. 3. Quality control and safety inspections
Export Inspection Council takes care of quality control, safety
inspections and matters related to it, as instructed under
Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act. Through its
initiative or its field organizations, Export Inspection Council
also provides services such as,
• Laboratory testing facilities for exporters who want to get
testing done, either voluntary or as a part of exporting
requirements.
• Export Inspection Council also gives recognition to
Inspection Agencies as per ISO 17020 and Laboratories
as per ISO 17025 and utilizes them for export inspection
and testing.

6. • Export Inspection Council trains and technically
assists the industry while installing Quality and Safety
Management Systems.
• Export Inspection Council and its Export Inspection
Agencies are equipped and experienced in the
quality management and review of notified goods
along with checking according to international criteria
or importing countries’ standards, and specifications
of importers.