Article 15

In respect of agricultural products and foodstuffs produced within the Community, verification of compliance with the specifications, before placing the product on the market, shall be ensured by: one or more competent authorities referred to in Article 14, and/or one or more control bodies within the meaning of Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 operating as a product certification body. The cost of such verification of compliance with the specifications shall be borne by the operators subject to those controls. In respect of agricultural products and foodstuffs produced in a third-country, verification of compliance with the specifications, before placing the product on the market, shall be ensured by: one or more public authorities designated by the third-country, and/or one or more product certification bodies. The product certification bodies referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall comply with and, from 1 May 2010 be accredited in accordance with, European standard EN 45011 or ISO/IEC Guide 65 (General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems). Where the authorities referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 have chosen to verify compliance with the specifications, they shall offer adequate guarantees of objectivity and impartiality, and have at their disposal the qualified staff and resources necessary to carry out their functions.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-08 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.