World Food Policy
cation bandwagon with strong support
from France, but applied it to only two
GIs. At the other end of the spectrum,
control systems for GIs are still far from
operational in Vietnam and the Lao
PDR, although certifications systems
have been introduced for other stan-
dards and new avenues for certification
are being explored (e.g. Participatory
Guarantee Systems), which could be a
source of inspiration.
1.4 National accreditation systems
A
ccreditation bodies in charge of
recognizing certification bod-
ies’ capability to certify stan-
dards exist in Thailand and Vietnam,
both members of the International Ac-
creditation Forum (IAF). While in Viet-
nam, the accreditation to certify the “GI
standard” does not yet exist, Thailand
already has a specific accreditation sys-
tem for GIs. In Cambodia, institutions
have been created but the accreditation
scheme for product certification bodies
is not yet in force. In the Lao PDR, the
national accreditation system is under
development as several initiatives are
currently underway to connect emerg-
ing institutions with the global arena
(no specific action has yet been taken
for GI certification).
National Accreditation Council, under
the Ministry of Industry. 18 The network
includes several accreditation agencies
including the National Bureau of Ag-
ricultural Commodity and Food Stan-
dards (ACFS), which is in charge of
accrediting certification bodies for ag-
ricultural commodities and food prod-
ucts. 19 In 2012, the DIP signed a Mem-
orandum of Understanding with ACFS
and the Thai Industrial Standards Insti-
tute on Cooperation for Certification
and Recognition of Geographical In-
dications. The ACFS must now submit
to the IAF an official request to include
GIs as a standard to be certified besides
other standards such as GAP (good
agricultural practices) that are already
recognized by IAF. Once this procedure
is completed, the ACFS GI accredita-
tion scheme will be internationally rec-
ognized as ISO 17 065-accredited by all
members of the IAF. 20 In the meantime,
the ACFS can accredit certification
bodies using Thai standards for GI cer-
tification.
In Vietnam, the accreditation
body is the Bureau of Accreditation
(BoA) established in 1995 under STA-
MEQ, the Directorate for Standards,
Metrology and Quality of the Ministry
of Science and Technology. 21 The BoA
offers accreditation programs for lab-
Accreditation of certification oratories, certification bodies, and in-
bodies in Thailand comes under the spection bodies, for the certification of
National Standardization Act B.E. 2551 compulsory and voluntary standards,
(2008) and belongs to one network, the be they domestic, foreign, regional, or
18 https://www.tisi.go.th/home/en.
19 http://www.acfs.go.th/eng/.
20 Certification bodies that are already accredited by ACFS to certify standards such as GAP, GMP,
and HACCP will be able to certify GIs.
21 http://www.boa.gov.vn/en.
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