Summary
Do you want to check differentiated quality products and become an independent certifying body for approved specifications?
In Wallonia, any promoter must propose an independent certifying body when submitting an application for accreditation for a differentiated quality specification – Qualité Plus. This independent certifying body candidate must also be approved.
Are you interested? Apply for your accreditation from SPW Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (ARNE in French).
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS AND CHECKS
By becoming an approved certifying body, you will assure consumers and producers that a product meets the specific standards of the specifications.
Your role as an independent certifying body is to:
- be the body that checks the specifications of the differentiated quality products which you are certifying
- register any follow-up application from a producer wishing to use a Qualité Plus designation for which you are the approved independent certifying body
- extend (or not) certificates for applicants during periodic inspections
At the Direction de la Qualité et du Bien-être animal (DQBEA) [Directorate of the Quality and welfare of animals], part of the SPW Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, we are responsible for supervising independent certifying bodies.
STRICT CONDITIONS: ISO/IEC 17065
The Belgian accreditation office BELAC accredits independent certifying bodies on the basis of the ISO/CEI 17065 standard. In particular, you must prove that you have sufficient human and technical resources to perform the tasks. See the conditions section below.
You are approved for the validity period of the specifications for the differentiated quality product: a three-year period with review or extension of the specifications. Since the promoter chooses you as the independent certifying body, the promoter may decide to change and request certification from a new independent certifying body when the specifications are reviewed.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?
Become an independent certifying body by following the accreditation application procedure below.
In detail
You want to check differentiated quality products in Wallonia
ISO STANDARDS AND SUBCONTRACTING
- The independent certifying body is accredited under ISO 17065 to certify the compliance of products with the specific requirements of the specifications. If this is not the case, it must meet the following conditions:
- it is accredited in the agri-food industry under ISO 17065 standard in the same field in the sector
- it is in the process of extending accreditation for certification of compliance of products with the requirements of said specifications
- it already applies ISO 17065 requirements to the specifications at the time of applying for authorisation even if it is not yet accredited under ISO 17065 for the specifications
- The independent certifying body may not delegate the inspection activities necessary for certifying product compliance with the requirements of the specifications
- The independent certifying body can delegate analytical activities
OBLIGATIONS OF THE INDEPENDENT CERTIFYING BODY
- Have at least one site in the territory of the Walloon Region where all documents relating to the inspection of the specifications can be found
- Communicate to the DQBEA without delay any changes in the information required at the time of the accreditation application
- Ensure the certification of products under the designation in accordance with the requirements of the relevant specifications and in accordance with the certification procedure presented at the time of the accreditation application
- Provide the operator being checked with the relevant specifications, an assessment grid for non-conformities and the corresponding penalty grid
- Issue a certificate of conformity to operators for each product checked and approved as eligible for certification
- Inform DQBEA without delay and withdraw the certificate of conformity from an operator under supervision when the latter no longer complies with its requirements
- If an operator changes the independent certifying body, the first body will immediately transmit to the next organisation all the data necessary to ensure that checking and certification activities can continue for the operator
- If authorisation is waived or withdrawn, provide the independent certifying body designated by an operator with all the data necessary to continue the checking and certification activities for that operator
- Grant access to any DQBEA person to its premises and documents and provide any information requested
- Publish, by specifications, the list of the names and localities of operators that it is checking
- Submit to the DQBEA an annual activity report ending on 31 December, by 31 January of the following year at the latest. The report should include, in particular:
- the number of operators being checked by it for the specifications concerned
- the list of operators being checked by it
- the individual volumes produced per operator being checked per differentiated quality product
- the number of checks carried out over the calendar year per operator
- non-conformities identified by operator
- corrective actions arising from the non-conformities identified
- the list of qualified staff who check the specifications concerned
Approval may be suspended or withdrawn if the certifying body no longer complies with the conditions.
THE STEPS
- NB: a developer proposes you as an independent certifying body in its application for differentiated quality
- You submit an accreditation application as an independent certifying body to the DQBEA. Send this application by e-mail
- Our management will acknowledge receipt of your request within 10 days
- We will get in touch with you if we need further information
- We submit a reasoned proposal to grant / refuse accreditation to the Minister for Agriculture within three months of receiving your application
- EXTENDED DEADLINE: when the relevant product specifications is in the process of being approved
- We notify you of the decision to grant / refuse accreditation within 10 days of the Minister’s decision
The accreditation application can be made in French or German. This procedure is free of charge
INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO US
Your application includes:
- the name and registered office of the independent certifying body
- the identification of the sites in the territory of the Walloon Region where all the documents related to the checking of specifications can be found
- evidence of accreditation
- identification of the natural person responsible for all the activities of the independent certifying body
- identification of the person responsible for certification activities
- the independent certifying body quality manual
- the general checking plan based on the checking plan attached to the specifications, including the inspection, audit and analysis operations
- the audit checklist
- the analytical checking procedure
- the certification procedure
- the definition of minor and major non-conformities and the measures taken against any operator following the detection of the different types of non-conformities
- a list of measures taken against any operator that does not comply with the obligations arising from its accession to the specifications, in accordance with a scale of proportionate and non-discriminatory penalties
- Walloon Code of Agriculture, Articles D.6, § 1 and 4, D.7, D.17, D.61, D.179 to D.183 and D.426, §2, 3rd (only available in French)
- Walloon Government Order of 15 May 2014 establishing the regional differentiated quality system for agricultural products and foodstuffs, as amended by the Walloon Government Order of 14 July 2016 and by the Walloon Government Order of 28 April 2022 (only available in French)
- Ministerial Order of 2 September 2011 defining detailed rules for the recognition of specifications on the basis of differentiated quality in the poultry production sector (only available in French)
- Ministerial Order of 12 June 2015 defining the minimum industry requirements for drawing up the specifications for the production of pork of a differentiated quality (only available in French)
- Ministerial Order of 12 June 2015 defining the minimum industry requirements for drawing up the specifications for the production of differentiated quality bread (only available in French)
APPEAL
The letter notifying you of the decision sets out the practical procedures for lodging an appeal.