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Certification of fruit and vegetables

CAFIA is authorised, based on a Resolution of the OECD Council of 1990, to issue certificates for the exported products in compliance with the EEC/UN international standards.

The scope of certification is to allow the local producers gaining more grounds in the foreign markets and, on the other hand, to restrict the importation of goods of lower quality to the CR, which will result in the improvement of business with fresh fruit and vegetables between the CR and countries that accepted this system of certification within OECD. The certification rules also apply to re-exports.

The standards of the Economic Commission for Europe of the UN serve as the basis of the OECD interpretation standards. The EEC/UN standards are applied to business transactions between the member countries of EEC/UN and for the importation of fruit and vegetables into these countries. Both the EU standards and the Czech standards (CSN) are fully harmonised with these standards. In 2001 CAFIA issued 474 certificates for the exports of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Certification of wine

Since 1992 CAFIA has been authorised by the Committee for Wine of the EC to issue certificates for the export of grape wine from the CR into the EU countries. The international certificate is issued on the basis of results of the respective analyses performed by an accredited CAFIA laboratory. IN 2001 CAFIA issued the total of 104 certificates for the exports of wine to Germany, Finland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Croatia and the Netherlands.

Certification in the GOSTR R system

Based on the accreditation granted by the authorities of Russian Federation (GOSSTANDART - similar institution as ÚNMZ in Prague, and GOSKOMSANEPIDNADZOR - hygienic service of the Russian Federation) in 1996 and subsequent re-accreditation obtained in 2000, CAFIA, as the only authority in the field of food in the CR, carries out the accreditation activity in compliance with the Russian GOSTR R system.

Other certifications

Since 2000 CAFIA has been accredited by the national accreditation authority - the Czech Accreditation Institute in compliance with the standard CSN EN 45 011 to function as an accreditation authority providing certification of products. Based on the received certification and positive audit held in 2001, CAFIA is authorised to certify food products.

In the course of 2001 CAFIA provided for the voluntary certification, issuing certificates for food and raw materials upon request of the businessmen. The certificates are mainly required for exports; therefore also the scope of tests is defined in most cases in accordance with the requirements of a foreign customer.