UPDATE 01-31-2018 : Today FDA announced the first accredited body, ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB), under the Accredited Third-Party Certification program. VQIP applications are now being accepted by the Agency.
FDA will not be accepting importer application for the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP) in early January 2018, as originally planned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The delay is because the food must come from a foreign facility that has been audited according to the Accredited Third-Party Certification rule to participate in VQIP and those facility certifications have been delayed. The Accredited Third-Party Certification program, which is also voluntary, is taking longer to implement.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) required FDA to establish VQIP for qualified food importers to receive expedited review and release of human and animal food shipments. At this writing, FDA still plans on the program starting on October 1, 2018; however, until accredited third-party auditors are able to issue the certificates, this program will remain on hold.
Our team of regulatory specialists and affiliated attorneys are available to help importers understand their options under FSMA. Contact us today.
