Approval of experts for cross-checks

You apply for admission in writing or electronically:

• Submit your application with the required supporting documents.
• You will receive an incoming message.
• The dossier shall be examined by the competent authority. If necessary, further proof will be requested.
• After completing the examination of the submitted documents, you will receive either the admission or the rejection of your application by post.

The approved cross-check experts are published on the websites of LAVES and the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety.

The responsibility lies with the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Department 21.

This procedure can also be carried out through a "Point of Single Contact". The "Point of Single Contact" is a special service offered by municipalities and the state for service providers.

You may only be admitted as a cross-check expert if you:

• are a food chemist with a state examination to become a state-certified food chemist or
• are a licensed veterinarian with a qualification as a specialist veterinarian in the examination area applied for approval or specialist veterinarian for public veterinary matters or
• have a scientific university degree and can prove relevant specialist and legal knowledge by means of suitable documents. If necessary, you must explain the documents to the competent authority.

Admission also requires that you:

• be able to demonstrate two years of investigation and assessment experience in the requested study area, taking into account the requirements specified in Annex 1 of the GPV
• have a testing laboratory according to § 5 GPV (ISO 17025-accredited), which has a corresponding accreditation for the requested investigation area

• Written or electronic application for authorisation
• Content of the application:
  • Address of your head office
  • Address of your testing laboratory
  • Registration number of your testing laboratory
• Curriculum vitae of the cross-sample expert to be admitted
• Declaration that no criminal proceedings or public prosecutor's investigations are pending
• Police clearance certificate
• Declaration that the activity as cross-check expert or cross-check expert can be carried out independently and free from a conflict of interest
• The informal application should contain the following information:
  • Name and address of the expert(s) and the company for which the expert works
  • Contact details of the expert(s) and the company
  • Address of the expert(s) and the company
  • Nature of the activity of the expert(s) and the undertaking
  • Proof that you meet the requirements
  • You are welcome to use Annex 1 to § 2 Abs. 1 Gegenproben-Verordnung – GPV and Annex 3 to § 3 Abs. 5 Gegenproben-Verordnung – GPV
     

Within one month of complete receipt of all documents, you will receive admission or rejection.

The informal application should contain the following information:

• Name and address of the expert(s) and the company for which the expert works
• Contact details of the expert(s) and the company
• Address of the expert(s) and the company
• Nature of the activity of the expert(s) and the undertaking

An appeal against the decision may be lodged within one month.

Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES)