Department of International Relations– 2003

1

THE QUALITY POLICY IN FRANCE

Department of International Relations– 2003

2

THE QUALITY POLICY

The Definitions

The Challenges

The Principles

The System

Department of International Relations– 2003

3

The Quality Concept …

“the totality of the characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implicit needs” 

(International Standard ISO 8402)

Department of International Relations– 2003

4

The Quality Components

Safety and Security

Health

Satisfaction

Service

Consistency

Department of International Relations– 2003

5

Identification of Quality

Generic quality

Specific quality

Department of International Relations– 2003

6

The Quality Policy meets three challenges concerning

Consumers

The growth of agriculture and agribusiness and the structural organisation of the agri-food networks

The regions and rural development

Department of International Relations– 2003

7

As the record shows,

a system built on

three quality approaches

Department of International Relations– 2003

8

As the record shows, a system built on three quality approaches

Quality rooted in the terroir (the local soil and microclimate)

Quality rooted in know-how

Quality linked to a production process respecting the balance of nature

Department of International Relations– 2003

9

As the record shows, a system built on three quality approaches

Quality rooted in the terroir

Quality rooted in know-how

Quality linked to a production process respecting the balance ofnature

 Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) (registered designation of origin)

The Label and Certification of Conformity

Organic Farming

Department of International Relations– 2003

10

In France, the Quality Policy is an approach:

Rooted in over half a century’s experience

Wedded to the people and the regions

Department of International Relations– 2003

11

The public authorities have rolled out a system of official quality guarantees:

Implemented by the stakeholders of the agri-food networks through voluntary policies

Controlled by independent organisations

Department of International Relations– 2003

12

3 Basic Principles:

The Commitment of the operators and agri-food networks

Validation of the specifications by the public authorities

Control of the specifications by independent organisations

Department of International Relations– 2003

13

The Commitment of the Operators andAgri-food Networks

Collective facilities (AOC defence syndicate, quality label group)

Ensuring the representation of the professional partners

In charge of setting up and monitoring quality and designation of origin policies

Carrying out actions for the collective promotion of products

Department of International Relations– 2003

14

Validation of the Specifications by the Public Authorities

For AOC: Institut national des appellations d’origine (INAO) (national institute for designation of origin)

For labels, the Product Conformity Certificates (PCC) and organic farming: Commission nationale des labels et des certifications (CNLC)(national commission for labels and certification)

Department of International Relations– 2003

15

Control of the specifications by independent organisations

INAO: approval and control of AOC production conditions

Accredited certifying organisations (Standard EN 45 011) that are approved by the public authorities for the certification of labels, PCC, and organic farming methods

Department of International Relations– 2003

16

The Involvement of the Public Authorities

Validation of specifications and of their control requirements

Product identification with logos that are State property

Information on the quality and designation of origin labels guarantees

Aid for the start-up of quality and designation of origin approaches

Department of International Relations– 2003

17

The July 9, 1999 Law on Agricultural Policy

Recognition of the label identification system for quality and designation of origin

Department of International Relations– 2003

18

4 Official Identification Labels for Quality and Designation of Origin:

Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC), registered designation of origin

Label agricole (LR), agricultural label Agriculture biologique (AB), organic farming Certification de conformité produit (CCP),

product conformity certificate (PCC)

Department of International Relations– 2003

19

Appellation d’origine contrôlée AOC - Registered Designation of Origin

Wine-growing sector affected by a dramatic slump The first legislative measures:

Law of August 1, 1905 and of August 5, 1908 (administrative delimitation)

Law of May 6, 1919 (judicial delimitation according to local, fair and consistent practices)

The set-up of the AOC system in the wine-growing sector Creation of the Comité national des

appellations d’origine (July 30, 1935 decree-law)

Department of International Relations– 2003

20

Appellation d’origine contrôlée AOC - Registered Designation of Origin

“The geographic name of a country, region or locality for the designation of a product originating in said country, region or locality and whose quality or properties are exclusively or essentially attributable to the geographic environment, which includes natural and human factors”

(Law of July 6, 1966)

Department of International Relations– 2003

21

Changes in France

Unification of the designation of origin system: Extension of INAO’s field of authority to

include all agri-foodstuffs (Law of July 2, 1990) Harmonisation of the requirements for access

to AOC, and of the AOC recognition procedure

Equivalence between AOC and AOP (Protected Designation of Origin)

(Law of January 3, 1994)

Department of International Relations– 2003

22

The Agricultural Label

Principle of the Agricultural Label recognised by the Agricultural Policy Law of August 5, 1960

Implementation Decree of January 13, 1965: “As part of qualitative promotion, the Agricultural Labels serve to improve consumer information and facilitate trading between producers, processors and users.”

First poultry labels approved in 1965-66 (Landes and Loué) Creation of the collective ‘Red Label’ mark in 1973

Department of International Relations– 2003

23

The Agricultural Label

“Certifies that the product possesses a distinct set of qualities and special properties that have first been defined in the specifications and that establish a premium level of quality.” (Art. L 643-2 of the Rural Code)

Assessment of Premium Quality: According to objective and relevant criteria pertaining

to product life cycle and image Sensory profiles and hedonic tests Technical requirements fixing the minimum criteria

Department of International Relations– 2003

24

The Agricultural Label

Department of International Relations– 2003

25

Agriculture Biologique (AB) - Organic Farming

The pioneers and different European trailblazing currents

Germany: biodynamic farming (Rudolf Steiner, Demeter, and others)

Switzerland: Dr. Muller’ organic-biological farming England: organic farming (Albert Howard) France: Raoul Lemaire and Jean Boucher, Nature et

Progrès association

Department of International Relations– 2003

26

Agriculture Biologique (AB) - Organic Farming

First official recognition of agriculture “that does not use synthetic chemical products” in the Agricultural Policy Law of July 1980

Public authorities’ approval of existing private specifications

A national commission for the approval of specifications is created

The collective mark AB is created

Department of International Relations– 2003

27

Agriculture Biologique (AB) - Organic Farming

Recognised farming method since 1980

Certification system of an environmentally-friendly farming method respecting animal welfare

Department of International Relations– 2003

28

L’agriculture biologique (AB)

Organic Farming

Department of International Relations– 2003

29

Product Conformity Certificate

The most recent label (1988)

It certifies that the product is compliant with special properties or with previously set rules

Objective, measurable, controllable and relevant

objectives listed in specifications

Department of International Relations– 2003

30

Product Conformity Certificate

Department of International Relations– 2003

31

What is the situation in the

European Community?

Department of International Relations– 2003

32

Quality, the challenge for agriculture and agribusiness as of the late eighties

The first reform of the CAP (1992) The implementation of the European Single Market (1993)

The above fostered a new approach to market segmentation per identified quality products, meeting

consumer expectations and enhancing agricultural products and know-how

Department of International Relations– 2003

33

The European Labels

Three basic Community Regulations Regulation 2092/91: organic farming

method Regulation 2081/92: PDO/PGI Regulation 2082/92: Certificate of Specific

Character (CSC) or Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG)

Department of International Relations– 2003

34

The European Labels

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) (or Certificate of Specific Character)

Department of International Relations– 2003

35

The rollout of European tools protecting specific products

Organic farming method

Reg. (CE) 2092/91 of the Council of June 24, 1991 on plant products

Completed on July 19, 1999 to include animal products (with possibility of national rules)

Protection of the qualifying terms ‘biological’, ‘ecological’ or ‘organic’

Establishment of production and processing rules for organic products and for their control methods

Creation of a European logo

Department of International Relations– 2003

36

Department of International Relations– 2003

37

The rollout of European tools protecting specific products

Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographic Indication (PDO/PGI)

Reg. (CE) 2081/92 of the Council of July 14, 1992 organised a registration system for geographic names of products that protects them within the EU

It distinguishes two concepts: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Protected Geographic Indication (PGI)

Department of International Relations– 2003

38

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) covers the name of region designating a

product that:

Comes from the region AND Whose properties are mainly due to the

geographic environment AND Whose production, processing or

preparation take place only in said region

Department of International Relations– 2003

39

Department of International Relations– 2003

40

Protected Geographic Indication is the name of a region designating a product that:

Comes from the region Has one property that may be attributed to

its regional origin Whose production and/or processing and/or

preparation take place in the region Has a qualitative level recognised by a label

or certification

Department of International Relations– 2003

41

Department of International Relations– 2003

42

The rollout out of European tools for protecting specific products

Certificate of Specific Character

Reg. (CE) 2092/92 of the Council of July 14, 1992 on certificates of specific character helps protect names of products with a traditional character but not (or no longer) resulting from the foodstuff’s geographic origin

Department of International Relations– 2003

43

Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (or Certificate of Specific Character) is the

recognition of a foodstuff:

Made from traditional raw materials

Or with traditional ingredients

Or from a traditional production method

Department of International Relations– 2003

44

Department of International Relations– 2003

45

Linkage between European tools and French identification labels:

Law of January 3, 1994 Only the foodstuffs with a label or a certificate of

conformity may apply for PGI or CSC status

The geographic origin may be among the features on the label or on the CSC only if the foodstuff is PGI registered

Full equivalence between the PDO and AOC

Department of International Relations– 2003

46

The Bodies in Charge of

the Identification Labels

Department of International Relations– 2003

47

The Bodies in charge of the Identification Labels

The Institut national des appellations d’origine (INAO) (the national institution for registered designation of origin)

The Commission nationale des labels et des certifications de produits agricoles et alimentaires (CNLC) (the national commission for agri-foodstuff labels and certification)

Department of International Relations– 2003

48

The Institut national des appellations d’origine:

An administrative public body under the authority of the French Ministry in charge of Agriculture. It

includes:

Deliberative bodies: the National Committees and the Permanent Council (with professionals, qualified experts and representatives of the administration)

Administrative and technical departments working out of the Paris head office and the local branches

Department of International Relations– 2003

49

The National Committees

National Committee for Wines and Spirits (AOC) National Committee for Dairy Products (AOC) National Committee for agri-foodstuffs (AOC for

products other than wine and dairy products) National Committee for Protected Geographic

Indications

Department of International Relations– 2003

50

C. N. L. C.

PERMANENT COMMISSION

PRODUCT REFERENTIAL REVIEW SECTION

CERTIFYING ORGANISATION APPROVAL SECTION

ORGANIC FARMING SECTION

Department of International Relations– 2003

51

The Procedures

Department of International Relations– 2003

52

Application filed by a syndicate

INAO Departments

National Committee

Appointment of a Review Board

Review Board conducts on-site investigation

Drafts a report

National CommitteePresentation of the report

Decision on AOC principle and recognitionAppointment of an Expert Committee to determine delimitation

Delimitation Review

National Committee

Approval of the AOC area delimitationApproval of the AOC draft decree

Ministries (Agriculture and Consumer Affairs)

Signature of the AOC decreesAOC application transmitted to the Committee handling products other than wine and spirits

AOC Recognition

Department of International Relations– 2003

53

Label Registration

Application filed with CNLC (DPEI) Secretariat

Opening to public consultation

(Duration: 2 months)for any objections or observations

Rapporteurs appointed

Experts appointed

Examination by the Product Referential Review Section

Favourable or unfavourable opinion, or request for additional information

Approval of the certifying organisation and validation of the control planCertifying Organisation Approval Section

Ministries (Agriculture and Consumer Affairs)

Decree on label registration(after a probation period, if needed)

Department of International Relations– 2003

54

Validation Procedure for Product Conformity Certificates (PCC)

(without PGI)Application filed with CNLC (DPEI) Secretariat

Opening to public consultation

(Duration: 2 months)for any objections or observations

Rapporteurs appointed

(experts appointed, if needed)

Examination by the Product Referential Review Section

Favourable or unfavourable opinion, or request for additional information

Approval of the certifying organisation and validation of the control planCertifying Organisation Approval Section

PCC validation by CNLC Chairman

Department of International Relations– 2003

55

The Content of Specifications

(product referential)

Foodstuff properties communicated to consumers

Technical requirements

Control methods

Labelling

Department of International Relations– 2003

56

Some Figures

Department of International Relations– 2003

57

AOC

120,000 farms producing AOC foodstuffs (18%) and accounting for 29% of the agri-food turnover

Preponderance of wine and spirits: Yearly turnover at 16.5 billion euros More than 450 recognised AOC Yearly production: 26 million hectolitres

43 recognised AOC for dairy products Yearly turnover at 2 billion euros Yearly production at 180,000 tons

22 recognised AOC for other foodstuffs Yearly turnover at 0.15 billion euros

Department of International Relations– 2003

58

The Labels

40,000 producers 1.1 billion euros turnover Steady rise of the number of registered labels: 420

Department of International Relations– 2003

59

The Certificate of Conformity

218 enterprises have CC for their products (cooperative farms, agricultural groups, SME, industries, and distributors)

274 validated specifications

Yearly turnover at 1.95 billion euros

Department of International Relations– 2003

60

Organic Farming

Yearly turnover at 6 billion euros (9.5%) 9,000 farms practising organic farming (1.4%) 370,000 hectares, i.e., 1.3 % of the usable farm area

CAB: Converting to organic farming

Bio: Organic farming areas

Organic farming areas

Department of International Relations– 2003

61

Department of International Relations– 2003

62

Presentation by:

Ministère de l'agriculture, de l'alimentation, de la pêche et des affaires rurales, the French Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs78 rue de Varenne75349 Paris 07 SPPhone: 01 49 55 49 55www.agriculture.gouv.fr

With the help of: L’Association pour de Développement des Echanges Internationaux de

Produits et Techniques Agro-alimentaires (ADEPTA, Association for the Development of the International Trade of Foodstuff Products and Technologies)41 rue de Bourgogne

75007 ParisPhone: 01 44 18 08 88www.adepta.com