Fish Microbiology and Quality Assurance

Unit 9 - Assurance and management quality of fish

9.3.3. Export Inspection Agency (EIA)
Export Inspection agency (EIA) was established by the Govt. of India, under the Export (Quality Control & Inspection) Act of 1963 which came in to force from 1st January 1964, to create an image of quality for Indian goods in the foreign markets and to promote exports on a long term and permanent basis by launching a comprehensive programme of quality control and pre-shipment inspection.

This act empowered the Govt. of India to notify commodities, which shall be subject to compulsory quality control or inspection or both, before shipment. No consignment of the commodities so notified can be permitted for export unless a certificate or the article accompanies it or package carries a recognized mark indicating that it conforms to the recognized specifications.

Under this act, Export Inspection Council (EIC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce was established to advise the Government with regard to measures to be taken for quality control and pre-shipment of exportable commodities. For this purpose five Export Inspection Agencies (EIAs) with several sub-offices covering entire India were established under the administrative and technical control of EIC.