FSSAI Releases Standardized List Of Documents For Licensing And Registrations

FSSAI Releases Standardized List Of Documents For Licensing And Registrations

FBOs across the country have been appealing to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding their hurdles in getting an FSSAI license. Sometimes, FBOs are asked to submit irrelevant documents to get an FSSAI license like an in-house laboratory in the food business where it is not mandatory, recall plan in case of a transporter, etc. This matter was also discussed in the 28th and 29th meetings of CAC held on 22 May, 2020 and 5 August, 2020 respectively wherein it was decided that kind of business (KOB) wise documents, as already uploaded on the homepage of FLRS/FoSCoS  https://foscos.fssai.gov.in/assets/docs/KoBwiseDocumentsrequiredforLicense.pdf should be followed uniformly by respective Licensing Authorities in all States/UTs. Since the requirement of uploading of a signed copy of Form A (Application for Registration) and Form B (Application for License) by applicants has been done away, all applicants must upload all documents mandatorily self-attested by the authorised signatory/ proprietor.

Concerning this, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a notification requiring all State/ U.T. Licensing Authorities to follow the standardized list of documents for the FSSAI license grant. This notification was issued on 31st August 2020. FSSAI has clarified that Food Business Operators (FBOs) are not required to submit any additional documents other than those already uploaded on the FLRS/FoSCoS website homepage when applying for License/Registration through a circular dated 31 August 2020. Food licensing authorities must avoid demanding additional or irrelevant documents from FBOs that causes inconvenience

Key Takeaways of the Notification

The FSSAI has requested Licensing and Registration Authorities of India to advise the
concerned Designated Officers/Food Safety Officers to

• Refrain from insisting on submission of additional documents beyond the standardized list of documents issued by FSSAI.
• The officers should scrutinize the application and raise all the points of query in one go with a solution-oriented attitude towards the FBOs.
• In electronically generated license, proper scrutinization should be done.

There should be monthly monitoring meeting of the following cases by the Commissioner of Food Safety and Directors, Regional Offices:

1. Cases where queries are raised more than twice
2. Cases where DO/FSO orders additional documents
3. Cases of auto-generated licenses because of the physical absence of the licensing officers

The food officials of India’s respective states must look into any delay in processing the food license and Direct the Licensing authorities to follow strict compliance. The FSSAI has also started consultation regarding NOC’s requirement from CGWA as a precondition for FSSAI Licensing/Registration. Moreover, it is not uniform across the country and is dependent on the category of areas on the level of groundwater. The NOC submission from CGWA sometimes hampers the grant of FSSAI license/registration on time and FSSAI seeks comments from licensing authorities on the same at the earliest.

Unnecessary insistence on submission of additional documents, beyond the list issued by FSSAI, by the Licensing/Registration Authority may attract strict action against them.

 

References:

1. f4dd5aa5c3f7Letter_Standardized_Document_License_31_08_2020.pdf . Available at:
   https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/advisories/2020/09/5f4dd5aa5c3f7Letter_Standardized_
   Document_License_31_08_2020.pdf .Accessed on 25 th September, 2020.