Agricultural and Food

Quality Inspection

PREFACE

It is my pleasure to give into your hands new edition of the brochure on the Agricultural and
Food Quality Inspection. With this brochure we aim to present concise information on main
responsibilities and activities of the Inspection. The Inspection, responsible to the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, has been established on 1 January 2003, however the idea of
food and agricultural products quality control in Poland goes back to the 1930s.
The Inspection fulfills its statutory tasks in professional and impartial manner in order to protect
consumers and food producers interests. This is realized by identifying cases of fraudulent
practices in food sector, preventing unfair competition, as well as promoting food of high quality.
According to recent data, the Inspection carried out almost 13,000 quality inspections in domestic
market and over 90,000 quality inspections at import and export stage yearly.
We identified the following strategic objectives:
counteraction to marketing of agri-food products of improper quality,
securing sustainable development of laboratory analytic potential,
ensuring effective cooperation and participation of Poland in activities of international
organizations and the European Union in the area of setting food standards.
Since its foundation the Inspection promotes improvement in professionalism of human resources
and capacity building aiming to face emerging challenges related to dynamically growing food sector.
I hope the hereby elaboration will meet the expectations, providing useful information about the
Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection.
Stanisaw Kowalczyk
Chief Inspector of Agricultural and Food Quality

LEGAL BASIS

ORGANISATION SCHEME

Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (AFQI) started its activity on 1 January 2003 under the
national Act of December 21, 2000 on Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food Products. It was
created on the basis of two inspection bodies: Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (CIS) and
Inspection for Purchasing and Processing of Agricultural Products (ISiPAR).

AFQI tasks are performed by:

ISiPAR
Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection
Inspection for Purchasing and Processing

of Agricultural Products

The Chief Inspector of Agricultural and Food Quality, with the support of the Main
Inspectorate, as the central government authority responsible to the Minister competent for
the agricultural markets;
The Voivod, with support of Voivodeship Inspector of Agricultural and Food Quality, as
supervisor of the Voivodeship Inspectorate, which is a part of the joint provincial administration.

The organizational structure of AFQI consists of:

Main Inspectorate,
16 Voivodeship Inspectorates,
6 accredited laboratories.

Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development

Quality management system

In 2005, AFQI implemented the quality management system based on the requirements of the
international standard ISO 9001. In 2011 Inspection introduced the system in order to prevent
corruption risks.

Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection

2.
3.
4.
5.

Quality control of agricultural and food products, at production and trading stage, including:
supervision of fruit and vegetable market,
supervision of classification of bovine and porcine carcasses in the EUROP system,
issuing certificates on commercial quality of agricultural and food products,
conducting trainings for experts in the scope of sampling, setting quality classes or method of
production of certain agricultural and food products;
Supervision of organic farming;
Protection of regional and traditional products;
Cooperation with paying agencies in the scope of the Common Agricultural Policy - control
"ex-ante" and control "ex-post";
Coordination of Polish cooperation with international organisations dealing with food and its
marketing.

In addition AFQI supervises wine and fertilizers markets likewise controls conditions of geeses
breeding and fattening. Inspection also conducts certification of hops and hop products and checks
correctness of reporting on market data concerning bovine.

of

Chief Inspector
Agricultural and Food Quality
Deputy Chief Inspector
(2)

Chief Executive Officer

Substantial Units

Voivodeship Level

1.

Central level

Main tasks

Voivode (16)

Substantial Units

Central Laboratory in
Poznan +5 Specialized
Laboratories

Voivodeship Inspector (16)

Substantial Units

Employment in AFQI
In 2013 AFQIs staff consisted of 659 employees
including 32 on managerial positions. 387 employees
were directly involved in the implementation of
statutory tasks, including commercial quality control
of agricultural and food products. 110 employees
worked in laboratories. The remaining 130 persons
were employees of the administration, human
resources, accountancy, legal and IT services.

Employment in Agricultural and Food Quality

Inspection in 2013

LABORATORIES
Analyses of agricultural and food products are conducted in 6 official Inspections laboratories:

Central Laboratory in Poznan,

5 specialised laboratories in Bialystok, Gdynia, Kielce, Lublin and Szczecin.

AFQI laboratories gradually expand analytical capabilities and a range of accredited methodologies.
All Inspections laboratories are accredited by Polish Centre for Accreditation according to PN-EN
ISO/IEC 17025.
Number of accredited methodologies in Inspection laboratories in 2003-2013
1000
900
800

20%

17%

5%

700
600
500
400
300

58%

200
100
0

504

553

604

646

2007

2008

2009

2010

727

811

905

367
142

166

184

2003

2004

2005

2006

2011

2012

2013

laboratory staff
inspectors
executives
other AFQI employees

QUALITY CONTROL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PRODUCTS

Supervision of food products quality
Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection is the competent authority supervising quality of
agricultural and food products in Poland. In the framework of this broad task, AFQI carries out
quality controls at production, domestic market, as well as import and export stage.
AFQI carries out inspections with respect to quality of all major food products' groups including
meat and meat products, milk and milk products, fish and fish products, processed fruit and
vegetables, cereal products (i.a. baker's products, pasta), confectionery and chocolate products,
fats and oils (including olive oils), eggs, spirit drinks and beers, honey and spices.
The control of agricultural and food products carried out by the AFQI covers at least one of
following activities:
checking of documents in order to identify the food and agricultural product, quality
certificates, results of laboratory analyses and other documents that confirm quality,
checking of packaging, labelling, presentation of agricultural and food products as well as its
transport and storage conditions,
examination of agricultural and food products,
sampling and laboratory analyses,
determination of class (category) of agricultural and food products,
control of the way of production or correctness of processing (if it arises from separate
provisions).
Inspections authorities can prohibit placing on the market agricultural or food product noncompliant with relevant regulations and can impose penalties on entities which place on the market:
adulterated agricultural and food products,
products non-corresponding with commercial quality requirements detailed in regulations or
declared by producer on the package.
Moreover AFQI performs a number of supervision tasks related to quality of agricultural and food
products described later on in separate sections of the brochure.
Due to the fact that Poland is the European Union Member State since 1st May 2004, AFQI realises
all its tasks in accordance with the EU legislation.
In 2013 the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development designated the Chief Inspector of
Agriculture and Food Quality as the Food Fraud Contact Point for Poland - the member of the
Food Fraud Network composed of national contact points from all the EU Member States.
The main tasks of the Food Fraud Contact Point are:
to facilitate the flow of information,
to coordinate the execution of coordinated control plans recommended by the European
Commission in the field of food fraud.

Supervision of fruit and vegetable market in

Poland
In Poland tasks related to the commercial quality
control of the fresh fruits and vegetables resulting
from the European Union legislation have been
assigned to AFQI under the national Act of December
19, 2003 on Organization of the fruit and vegetables
market, hops market, dried fodder market and markets
of flax and hemp grown for fibre.
Inspection executes the following tasks concerning
market of fresh fruit and vegetables:
carrying out controls on conformity with
marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables
on domestic market as well as at import and
export stage,
maintaining database of traders placing fresh
fruits and vegetables on the market.
Control conducted by the Inspection include checking
conformity with the requirements of specific marketing
standards and a general marketing standard. If a trader
declares conformity with the UN/ECE standard for
a particular species, inspections are conducted for
checking conformity with the requirements of the
declared standard.
AFQI does not conduct conformity checks of fresh
fruit and vegetables intended for industrial processing,
animal feed or other non-food purposes.
AFQI, after conformity check, issues one of the
following documents:
certificate of conformity with the EU marketing
standards for fresh fruits and vegetables if
products are compliant with the requirements in
standards,
non-conformity protocol with the EU marketing
standards for fresh fruits and vegetables
if products are not compliant with the
requirements in standards.

Supervision of classification of bovine and porcine

carcasses in the EUROP system
AFQI is responsible for supervising the commercial
quality of slaughtered animals, including the
classification of bovine and porcine carcasses and
recording of their market prices.
Inspections tasks in this area include checking the
following aspects:
correctness of classification and labelling of
bovine and porcine carcasses,
accuracy of documentation concerning steps for
determining quality classes of carcasses,
conformity of documentation issued to suppliers
of slaughter animals with meat establishments
documentation in respect of category, quality
class and weight of caresses,
validity of qualified classifiers authorisations for
classification of carcasses,
use of the methods approved by the European
Commission for porcine classification.
Supervision of wine market
Inspection supervises market of wine under the
national Act of May 12, 2011 on The production and
bottling of wine products, marketing of these products
and the organization of the wine market.
Wine products from all entities producing wine from
grapes which wine-growing area is situated within
Polish territory and their data were provided by the
Agricultural Market Agency are subject to quality
control.
Control in the frame of the wine market supervision
exercised by AFQI include checking the following
aspects:
formal and legal requirements, including the
development and implementation of the internal
control system of the wine production and
bottling,
accuracy of the records of goods inwards and
outwards of the wine products,
documents accompanying consignments of wine

10

products, including the wine imported from third countries,

physico-chemical parameters of the wine products samples, on the basis of laboratory tests,
labelling of the wine intended for trade,
correctness of oenological practices i.e. enrichment, de-acidification and sweetening,
correctness of the process of removing the by-products derived from wine producing process
(relates to entities producing more than 25 hectolitres of wine in a representative period).

In addition, the AFQIs authorities are competent in providing certification procedure for particular
vintage year and wines from specific grape varieties, as well as monitoring of correct use of
protected designations of origin, geographical indications and traditional wine products.
Implementation of the mentioned tasks assigned to the Inspection as regards supervision of the
wine market ensures that wine products introduced into the market have appropriate quality.
Certification of hops and hop products in Poland
AFQI, under the national Act of December 19, 2003 on Organization of the fruit and vegetables, hops
market, dried fodder market and markets in flax and hemp grown for fibre and respective EU legislation
carries out tasks related to the certification of the hops and hop products.
Certification of hops and hop products includes the following steps:
notification of hop gardens to the register kept by Voivodeship Inspector of Agricultural and
Food Quality,
control of the varietal uniformity of the hop gardens,
packing, weighing and sampling for laboratory tests,
sealing packages of the hops and hop products,
labelling of hops and hop products packages,
issuing certificates for the hops or hop product.
Only appropriately certified hops and hop products and imported hops and hop products
accompanied by equivalence attestations issued in the country of origin can be placed on the
market.
Supervision of beef market prices reporting
AFQI is responsible for supervising of data transfer concerning market prices of bovine to the
Integrated Agricultural Market Information System.
Inspections tasks in this area include checking the following aspects:
accuracy of data used to compile a weekly report from meat establishments documentation
(data related to purchase price of cattle and number of slaughtered animals),
correctness of applied methodology for registration of market data for calculation of purchase
price of cattle.

11

ORGANIC FARMING

Supervision of marketing of bovine meat from cattle aged less than twelve months
AFQI is responsible for supervising of the marketing of veal and young bovine meat which mean
bovine meat from cattle aged less than twelve months.
Inspections tasks in this area include checking the following aspects:
correctness of labelling of the carcasses from bovine animals aged less than twelve months
with category identification letter of "V" or "Z",
correctness of bovine meat labelling of the age of the slaughtered animal accordingly to
allocated category, at each step of production and marketing,
correctness of sale descriptions under which the meat is sold,
correctness of information recording by operators at slaughterhouses and meat processing
establishments.
Control of goose breeding and fattening conditions
AFQI carries out inspections concerning marketing of goose meat, which is labelled with information
on the conditions of production. Goose breeding and fattening conditions are determined by the
European Union legislation and the national regulation on the Young Polish Oats-Fed Geese (Moda
polska g owsiana) trademark developed by the National Poultry Council Polish Chamber of
Commerce.
Inspections tasks in this area include checking the following aspects:
conditions of the goose breeding,
conditions of the goose fattening,
correctness of labelling of packages containing goose meat.
Supervision of fertilizers, fertilizers designated "EC FERTILIZER" and plant conditioners

The Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection plays an important role in the organic farming control
system (established by the Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007). The aim of this quality scheme
is to guarantee the consumers that products marketed as organic were subjected to a system
of control covering all stages of production, preparation and distribution, and procedures, which
confirmed the compliance with the requirements of relevant regulations. At the national level, the
tasks of AFQI, set out in the national Act of 25 June 2009 on organic farming, include:
supervising the control bodies in organic farming and organic production (by conducting audits
of control bodies and carrying out control of operators),
authorising imports of organic farming products from third countries (only till 30.06.2014),
conducting border inspections of organic products from third countries,
organising exams for organic farming inspectors authorised to conduct controls on behalf of
the control bodies and maintaining a register of such inspectors,
collecting, processing, storing and analysing the data on organic operators and making such
data available upon request of an interested party,
authorising operators to use exceptions from the organic production rules under specific
conditions laid down in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008, taking over the power
of control body, which authorisation has been withdrawn.
Organic operators in Poland in 2004-2013
30 000
25 000
20 000

Inspections tasks in this area include checking the following aspects:

correctness of marketing of the fertilizers and plant conditioners, based on the permission
issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,
correctness of marketing of fertilizers designated "EC FERTILIZER",
compliance with the conditions for marketing of fertilizers, fertilizers designated "EC
FERTILIZER" and plant conditioners,
correctness of labels, packaging units and their correct labelling, as well as accompanying
documents for fertilizers, fertilizers designated "EC FERTILIZER" and plant conditioners
sold in bulk.

12

15 000
10 000
15 206

5000
0

7 182

9 194

17 423

20 956

23 847

26 376

27 203

12 121

3 760

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

13

PROTECTION OF REGIONAL AND TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS

EX-POST CONTROL

Within the framework of the EU system for registering and protecting the names of regional and
traditional product, Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection carries out checks of conformity of
production process of products with registered protected designation of origin (PDO), protected
geographical indication (PGI) and traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG) with the specification.

Since 2005, AFQI has been carrying out ex-post controls of Polish beneficiaries, who received
payments from the European Union via the paying agencies. Ex-post control is implemented on
the basis of the national Act of December 21, 2000 on Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food
Products and in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the
common agricultural policy.

The checks carried out by AFQI confirm the originality of the product, its specific features and high
quality. The control also ensures the protection of agricultural products and foodstuffs with PDO,
PGI or TSG against unfair trade practices.

The purpose of the ex-post control is to confirm whether the transactions carried out by
beneficiaries receiving payments from the European Union have actually been made and if they
were executed correctly. Commercial documents that directly or indirectly relate to the payment
system of the funds are subject to control.

The European Commission registered 36 Polish products in the PDO, PGI and TSG system.
Number of products registered in PDO, PGI and TSG system in the EU countries
(till 15th April 2014)

In 2005-2014, the scope of the controls carried out by AFQI concerned several mechanisms of the
Common Agricultural Policy.

300

In 2005-2014, AFQI audited beneficiaries who received aid from the EU for a total amount of more
then 1 billion EUR.

250
200

Payments received from the EU by Polish beneficiaries of CAP and audited by AFQI
in 2005-2014 (EUR)

264
178
5

Ireland

Cyprus

Latvia

Bulgaria

Romania

Croatia

Estonia

Matla

Luxembourg

Denmark

Finland

Lithuania

Netherlands

Austria

Hungary

Belgium

Slovakia

Slovenia

Czech Rebublic

57 36
10 10
33 19 15 15 15 14 14

Sweden

350 mln

Poland

Greece

Spain

France

Italy

Germany

124 101
78

50

United Kingdom

211

100

Portugal

150

Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection supervises the control bodies authorised by the Minister
competent for agricultural markets.
The minister authorised 5 certifying bodies to carry out controls and to issue and withdraw
certificates confirming that products with registered PDO, PGI and TSG meet the requirements
laid down in the specification.
The tasks of AFQI also include the official control of agricultural products and foodstuffs with
registered PDO, PGI and TSG. Official control ensures that registered names are protected against
any direct or indirect commercial use, any misuse, imitation or evocation, as well as any other
practice liable to mislead the consumer as to the true origin of the product.

14

300 mln
250 mln
200 mln
150 mln
100 mln
50 mln
0

2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014

15

COORDINATION OF POLISH COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL

ORGANIZATIONS DEALING WITH FOOD AND ITS MARKETING

In 2005-2014 AFQI carried out a total number of 1 572 inspections (planned and cross-checks).
AFQI's involvement in the ex-post control system increase continually each year, due to the
increased participation of Polish beneficiaries in the mechanisms of the internal market.

The Inspection co-operates with the following international bodies dealing with quality and safety
of the food and international trade:
FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO CAC);
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE);
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Number of the ex-post inspections carried out by AFQI in 2005-2014 (till 15th April 2014)
250
200

The Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection acts as the FAO/WHO Codex Contact Point for
Poland and coordinates Polish cooperation and participation in work of the FAO/WHO Codex
Alimentarius Commission and its more then 20 advisory bodies.
In this respect AFQI carries out consultations with Polish experts from governmental and nongovernmental bodies i.a.: ministries, official food control services, consumers and food industry
associations, scientific institutes, universities.

180
160
140
120
223

100

185

173

80
60
40
20
0

Participation of Polish delegates in the Sessions of the FAO/WHO

Codex Alimentarius Commission and its Committees

170

130
75
2
2005/2006

15 17
2006/2007

planned controls
cross-checks

106

83
56
33

2007/2008

2008/2009

74

84

97

30

49

25
2009/2010

2010/2011

2011/2012

2012/2013

2012/2013

20
15
10

28
22

5
0

2003

19

16

14
5

2004

18

15
7

2005

13
9

2006

9
5

2007

15

13

2008

16

14
8

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Total number of delegates

Number of delegates from the Inspection
In 2009-2013 Inspection was responsible for performing on behalf of Poland the function of the
FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Coordinator for Europe. Just before and during both Polish terms
of office AFQI organised three sessions of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Europe (in
year 2008, 2010 and 2012) and, in association with FAO and WHO, four workshop meetings on
the Codex Alimentarius (in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012).

16

17

On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, in
2013 in Pulawy (Poland), the international conference on Food Safety Risk Analysis Fifty years
with Codex Alimentarius in the European Region was held. The conference constituted a summary
of the Polands four-year work as the FAO/WHO Regional Coordinator for Europe.
Inspection also coordinates Polish co-operation with the Council of the European Union
Working Party on Codex Alimentarius (F. 23). During the Polish Presidency of the Council of the
European Union in the second half of 2011, AFQI was responsible for chairing the work of the
above working group.
Participation of Polish delegates in the meetings
of the Council of the European Union Working Party on Codex Alimentarius (F. 23)
45
40
35
30
25
41

20

32

15
21

10
5
0

2004

19
7

2005

16
10

2006

19

14
6

2007

2008

22

19
8

2009

20

12

2010

21
11

2011

2012

2013

Total number of delegates

Number of delegates from the Inspection
Additionally, Inspection runs the Polish Secretariat of co-operation with the UN/ECE Working
Party on Agricultural Quality Standards. Within this task the Inspection cooperates with national
institutions and coordinates participation of Poland in activities of the Working Party and its
specialized sections. Polish experts are particularly involved in work of the Specialized Section on
Standardization of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables and Specialized Section on Standardization of Meat.
AFQI also represents Poland in the OECD Scheme for Application of International Standards for
Fruit and Vegetables by direct participation in the following activities:
the plenary Sessions of the OECD Scheme,
works on interpretation brochures on quality standards,
trainings,
international meetings of Heads of quality control services organized by the OECD Scheme.

Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection

Main Inspectorate
30 Wsplna St.
Tel. +48 22 623-29-00, +48 22 623-29-01
fax +48 22 623-29-99
e-mail: sekretariat@ijhars.gov.pl
www.ijhars.gov.pl

AFQI employees participate actively in the work of various experts groups of the European
Commission related to the scope of competence of the Inspection.

18

19