A prerequisite for obtaining a certificate is the registration of a wine company with the Agency on the basis of an application submitted by it (registration is free) and in the register of economic activity (registration fee 39 GEL within 2 working days and 78 GEL on the same day).
Certification includes the following steps:- Submission of an application for certification. Required data:
- Information about the quantity and origin of alcoholic beverages, alcohol, grape juice in the winery at the time of filing the application;
- A copy of the document confirming the purchase and/or gratuitous transfer of alcoholic beverages, alcohol, grape juice, if they are received from another person;
- Sample/copy of the label that will be placed on the packaged container for alcoholic beverages;
- If the products are exported, then an additional invoice is needed, which will necessarily indicate the weight of the cargo, as well as the exact name of the supplier, recipient and products in the appropriate language.
2. Sampling of alcoholic beverages.The Applicant must independently take samples for certification. They must be marked and sealed, the procedure must be documented. The Applicant himself is responsible for the conscientious conduct of sampling.Samples can be taken after bottling in consumer containers; specifically for wine ― both before bottling and after. The certification process of products poured into consumer containers or placed in transport containers is carried out according to a sample selected from one batch. To obtain a laboratory test report, each batch, together with the application and the sampling certificate, is submitted to an accredited testing laboratory.
3. Laboratory examination of the sample.Samples must be submitted to a laboratory with national or international accreditation. After the laboratory examination, a protocol is drawn up, which the laboratory transmits to the Agency. The test results must be certified with the seal of the laboratory and the signature of the appropriate authorized person. The sample is stored in the laboratory for 18 months.
4. Organoleptic check.If the results of the laboratory analysis are positive, the samples are sent for verification by the Agency's tasting commission. Its conclusions are also formalized by the protocol and brought to the attention of the applicant. In case of a negative evaluation of the sample, it is possible to request a second tasting (but no more than three times from one batch). The service is paid ― 50 GEL. Organoleptic testing is not mandatory when certifying imported alcoholic beverages.
5. Confirmation of the presence of product residues in the wine company at the time of certification.6. On-site inspection of products.Verification can be carried out at any stage of certification or after obtaining a permit. Samples are also taken, an act of control selection is drawn up in two copies.
The key stages of verification for obtaining certificates are laboratory tests and organoleptic examination. If the discrepancy between the relative densities of the samples does not exceed 0.0006, the Agency issues a certificate, otherwise, in order to obtain a certificate, the Applicant must go through the certification stages again for a batch already packed in a container. The reason for refusal may also be the provision of incomplete or irrelevant data.
In case of a positive decision, the Applicant is issued a certificate of conformity, which is pre-registered with the Agency. The certificate can be issued on request in Georgian, English or Russian.
The validity period of the certificate is 18 months from the date of issue. During this time, it can be canceled only in case of unsatisfactory results of state or inspection control or at the request of the holder of the document.
The state fee for issuing a certificate of conformity of alcoholic beverages ranges from 40 to 300 lari, depending on the period:
- 1 working day ― 300 GEL;
- 2 working days ― 250 GEL;
- 3 working days ― 150 GEL;
- 4 or more working days ― 40 GEL.