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What do you need to know?
Any establishment in Catalonia that works in food-related activities must apply for entry in the official register corresponding to their activity. The owners of food industries and establishments, water distribution companies using portable tanks and institutional catering companies must notify commencement of operations to the Public Health Agency of Catalonia so that they can be entered in the Catalan Health Register of Food Industries and Products (RSIPAC). By this means, a census of industries is created that contains information about the establishments' identifying data, location and activities.
The industries regulated by EC Regulation 853/2004, laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin, must apply for authorisation before starting operations. In such cases, the application for authorisation is concurrent with the application for entry in the RSIPAC.
This procedure can only be performed online. Any documentation you provide by other channels will not be considered and will not have any validity for the purpose of determining the date of submission. Before starting to fill in the application form, we advise you read the help section for the electronic procedure and the instructions given in "Related documents".
When you send the form, you must identify yourself with a digital certificate or idCAT Mòbil, if you are the company's owner, or with a digital certificate of representation, if you are the representative.
Specific forms have been created for sending applications and/or notifications related with this procedure. Use of these forms is mandatory. You can download these forms from this document. If the application and/or notification is submitted using other forms, the forms will be considered not presented, pursuant to Article 16.8 of Law 39/2015, of 1 October, on the common administrative procedure of public administrations. Accordingly, the date after which it is considered that the application and/or notification has been submitted is the date on which the above-stated specific form has been received.
Food companies and establishments that engage in the production, processing, preparation, packaging, storage, distribution, transportation and import (products from countries that are not members of the European Union) of:
- Food products and foodstuffs intended for human consumption.
- Materials and objects intended to be in contact with the products mentioned in the previous point.
- Technological adjuvants used in preparing food products.
- Companies that distribute water for human consumption using portable tanks.
Facilities that serve, in their own premises, a group of consumers with certain similar features and who request a cooked food service, such as schools, companies, hospitals, care homes, prisons, centres for the mentally handicapped, kindergartens, children's holiday camps, etc. (social collective catering).
The notification and the application for registration is the sole and sufficient condition for processing entry of companies and/or establishments in the RSIPAC; applicants will be able to start the activity at the same time, without prejudice to the inspections that may be performed subsequently.
The following documentation must be attached with the application:
In all cases:
- Annex with data specific to the prior notification of the activity and application for entry in the RSIPAC. Important: The original (not scanned) document must be attached. This must be downloaded and completed at the time of making the application in order to avoid sending previous versions with data that are not up to date.
Economic operators that engage solely in distribution and/or import (without any storage, packaging, processing and/or preparation facilities), catering companies without in-house preparation facilities (key 26, activity 062700) and transport companies (key 40, activities 060500, 060600, 060700 and 060800), do not need to provide the following documentation. In all other cases, applicants must submit:
- Flowcharts and description of the process or processes (only when the activities notified require storage, packaging, processing and/or preparation facilities).
- Map of the location and floor plan of the establishment, indicating each premises' square metres, and clearly identifying the facilities' different areas and equipment, including those for water catchment, storage, treatment and distribution (only when the notified activities require storage, packaging, processing and/or preparation facilities).
Establishments that wish to take advantage of other premises and material exceptions established in art. 3 of RD 1086/2020, must communicate this through the specific procedures Communication of activities carried out by food establishments covered by the flexibility measures established in Royal Decree 1086/2020.
For more information: Exceptions for foods with traditional characteristics within the framework of Regulation (EC) no. 2074/2005
Slaughterhouses that wish to take advantage of the exceptions and adaptations established in RD 1086/2020, of 9 December, which regulates and relaxes certain conditions for the application of the provisions of the European Union in the field of production hygiene and marketing of food products and regulate activities excluded from their scope, they must request the slaughter activities of the species and the activities 068300 or 068400 of key 10, depending on whether they are small slaughterhouses or mobile slaughterhouses and in addition to the previous documentation, it is also necessary to provide:
- Specific annex to the application for authorization to carry out the slaughterhouse activity with flexibility measures. For more information on the measures and flexibility requirements: https://acsa.gencat.cat/web/.content/_Seguretat-alimentaria/autocontrol/Petits-escorxadors-i-escorxador-mobils_def.pdf
The establishments located in the municipality of Barcelona and the companies without any preparation, packaging and/or storage facilities but with registered address in the municipality of Barcelona (including catering companies without any in-house facilities and transport companies without any warehouses), in addition to the previously stated documentation that may be applicable, must furnish the following:
- Receipt of payment of the fees by bank transfer to the Barcelona Public Health Agency's (ASPB)
At the time of starting the activity, the companies and/or establishments must have the following documentation:
a) Food products (technical data sheets, formats, packaging requirements, product labelling, etc.).
b) Documents accrediting the food safety self-monitoring system planned by the company:
- Prerequisites (water control plan, cleaning and disinfection plan, control plan for pests and other undesirable animals, food safety training and qualification plan, supplier control plan, traceability plan, temperature control plan, maintenance plan, allergen control plan and waste management plan).
- Documentation concerning the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system that will be implemented in the company or the good practices guide it will follow. The economic operators that engage solely in storage, distribution and/or import with storage facilities will accredit their self-monitoring system solely with the prerequisites (documents accrediting the water control plan, cleaning and disinfection plan, control plan for pests and other undesirable animals, food safety training and qualification plan, supplier control plan, traceability plan, temperature control plan, maintenance plan, allergen control plan, waste management plan).
The economic operators that engage solely in distribution and/or import without any storage, packaging, processing and/or preparation facilities will accredit their self-monitoring system solely with the supplier control plan and the traceability plan as prerequisites. If there is a transport vehicle, they must also be able to accredit the cleaning plan and the temperature control plan.
The economic operators that engage solely in transportation will accredit their self-monitoring system solely with the prerequisites (documents accrediting the traceability plan, supplier control plan, cleaning and disinfection plan and temperature control plan).
Point b) is not mandatory for companies that prepare, store, distribute and/or import materials in contact with foods. These operators must abide by the provisions of Regulation 2023/2006 and Regulation 282/2008.
In the case of the establishments mentioned in Article 4.2 of Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin, the establishments may not start their activity until the competent authority has granted the establishment a conditional or full authorisation to perform said activity.
In those cases where a prior authorisation is required, this is granted after performing the first inspection visit, in which it is verified whether the requirements laid down in food legislation are met and whether the establishment has the appropriate technical and self-monitoring documentation.
If the activity you intend to carry out is the irradiation of aromatic herbs, seasonings and vegetable spices (dried) from key 5, the start of the activity requires that the facilities have the authorization provided for in the RD 348/2001.
When filling in the application form, the form will state automatically whether the food activity being notified requires a prior authorisation or only entry in the RSIPAC. It will also state automatically whether the company or establishment must be entered in the RGSEAA.
Census updates are made at the request of the parties concerned or as a result of the supervision and inspection activities performed by the Public Health Agency of Catalonia (ASPCAT). A reliable census is essential for guaranteeing correct programming of the official inspections and facilitating action in emergency situations.
Depending on the food-related activity undertaken, food companies must also be registered in the Spanish General Health Register of Food Companies and Food Products (RGSEAA).
When classifying food companies for the purposes of entry in the RSIPAC, a system coded in keys (sectors) and subkeys (categories and activities) is used. It is a system that has been agreed between the different administrations involved in managing the register: the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESEAN) and the regional governments' health authorities.
Establishments that handle, transform, package, store or serve food exclusively for on-site sale or delivery to the final consumer, with or without home delivery, or for catering, are excluded from the obligation to register in the Register commercial (bar, restaurant, etc.) In Catalonia, retail activities are municipal competence. Therefore, companies (natural or legal persons) that are owners of food activities in retail establishments must communicate their activity to the corresponding town hall in order to be registered in the municipal register. In accordance with article 3 of RD 1021/2022, of December 13, which regulates certain hygiene requirements for the production and marketing of food products in retail establishments, retail establishments may also supply other retailers of different ownership if this supply is marginal, localized and restricted.
The companies whose sole activity is the transport of foodstuffs and food products, taking no part in other stages of the food chain (manufacture or preparation or processing, packaging, storage, distribution and import), must notify the date of commencement of the activity, the company's name and address.
With a favourable outcome of the procedure, the company will be entered in the Catalan Health Register of Food Industries and Products and, subsequently, if applicable, in the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition's (AESEAN) General Health Register of Food Companies and Food Products.
Companies are registered in the Health Register of Industries and Food Products of Catalonia by reason of their industrial domicile and companies without production, packaging and/or storage facilities (including catering companies without their own facilities and transport companies without warehouses) by their registered address in Catalonia.
Engaging in the activity without having notified of this prior or, in those cases provided by law, without the corresponding authorisation, is one of the infringements defined in Article 69 of Law 18/2009, of 22 October, on public health.
For technical queries, as differentiated from strictly administrative or procedural queries, which will be answered through the Business Management Offices (OGE) or the 012 help line, you can use the following telephone numbers of the Ministry of Health's Secretariat for Public Health and, in the case of companies or establishments located in the municipality of Barcelona, the telephone number of the Barcelona Public Health Agency's Directorate for Food Safety.
Regional Subdirectorate in Barcelona:
- Barcelonès Nord and Maresme Public Health Service:
- Barcelonès Nord team (Sant Adrià del Besòs): tel. 934639697
- Maresme team (Mataró): tel. 937562385
- Alt Penedès and Garraf Public Health Service:
- Alt Penedès team (Vilafranca del Penedès): tel. 938267050
- Garraf team (Vilanova i la Geltrú): tel. 938160420
- Baix Llobregat Centre-Litoral–Hospitalet de Llobregat and Baix Llobregat Nord Public Health Service:
- Baix Llobregat Centre-Nord-Fontsanta team (Sant Feliu de Llobregat): tel. 936246200
- Baix Llobregat Delta Litoral-Barcelonès Sud team (Castelldefels): tel. 935516350
- Vallès Occidental Est Public Health Service (Sabadell): tel. 937481215
- Vallès Occidental Oest Public Health Service (Sant Cugat del Vallès): tel. 936246434
- Vallès Oriental Public Health Service (Granollers): tel. 938706755
Regional Subdirectorate in Girona (Girona): tel. 872975000
Regional Subdirectorate in Lleida and Alt Pirineu i Aran (Lleida): tel. 973701600
Regional Subdirectorate in Catalunya Central (Manresa): tel. 938753382
Regional Subdirectorate in Camp de Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre (Tarragona): tel. 977224151
Terres de l'Ebre Public Health Service (Tortosa): tel. 977495518
Barcelona Public Health Agency - Directorate for Food Safety tel. 932384545
Steps to follow
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Step one
Apply
This procedure can only be performed online.
When you send the form, you must identify yourself with a digital certificate or idCAT Mòbil, if you are the company's owner, or with a digital certificate of representation, if you are the representative.
By Internet
Prior notification of the activity and application for entry in the RSIPAC
Start . Go to Prior notification of the activity and application for entry in the RSIPACWhat's the procedure?
Step 1. Download, complete and validate the form
Download the form for prior notification of the activity and application for entry in the RSIPAC (if you have any problems in downloading it, read how to download forms in PDF format) and complete it.
In the "Attach documents" section, attach the Annex with data specific to the prior notification of the activity and application for entry in the RSIPAC and the rest of the required documentation. Important: As regards the Annex with specific data, you must attach the original (not scanned) document. You should download and complete it at the time of making the application in order to avoid sending previous versions with data that are not up to date.
Validate it (the form will only validate if you have completed all the mandatory fields and attached all the mandatory documentation).
Save it on your computer.
Step 2. Send for processing
- Return to the online procedure. You can do this from the online procedure link, which you will find at the bottom of the form, before the "Save" button.
- Select the file that contains the form that you have completed and validated and press the "Send" button.
- In order to send the file, you must choose the type of certificate that you will use to sign it: digital certificate or idCAT Mòbil, if you are the company's owner, or with a digital certificate of representation, if you are the representative.
Step 3. Confirmation of receipt
- If the application has been sent correctly, the confirmation of receipt will appear on the screen. It is important that you save or print it, as this document contains the entry record, which is the date on which this procedure has started (this may be important for certain calculations and expiry dates), and the procedure's identifier, which you will use to ascertain its status at "Status of my procedures and processes" on this portal, and the fee payment document.
- If the application contains any errors, it will not be sent and a message will be displayed, explaining the nature of the error.
Important aspects to be considered when making the application:
- Remember that all the fields highlighted in red are mandatory. If you leave any of these fields empty, an error message will be displayed when validating the application and you will not be able to send it until you have completed the empty fields.
- If you click on the "Next" button at the bottom of a page, the system will validate all the data entered on that page and will tell you if there are any errors (empty fields, incorrect format, etc.) so that you can correct them.
- Take note that there are drop-down lists in some fields.
- To attach documents, click on the "Attach" button and you will be able to look for the document you want in your computer and attach it. Remember that the form plus the attached documents cannot have more than 5 MB.
- You cannot use the same form for different applications; if you want to send another application after you have already sent one, you must download the form again and fill it in a second time.
- The procedure allows signature by a legal person or a natural person. If you are a legal person, you must send the form using a certificate of representation of the person stated in the form as representative.
- To access the electronic notifications, consult the following Canal Empresa address, which you may find useful: http://canalempresa.gencat.cat/ca/tramits-i-formularis/notificacions-electroniques/.
- You can consult the following video tutorials for performing the procedure: "Procedures with PDF forms (download, complete, validate and save)", and "Procedures with PDF forms (send for processing)".
If you have any questions, you can consult the security recommendations provided on Gencat.cat's Procedures site or call the 012 help line.
We remind you that you must have a valid digital certificate to carry out the procedures online. We advise you to check which certificates are accepted and the other conditions for carrying out procedures online.
If you experience any problems during the procedure, you should first look at the recommendations given in the Support to processing section of gencat.cat's Procedures site.
Second, once you have checked that you have all the necessary resources and have carried out the process as instructed, you can check whether there has been any service outage or problem in the section Alerts and service suspensions on the website, where you will find all the information about the types of problem and where they have happened; look for the service problems for the appropriate year and order them in the "Start date and time" field in descending order. If you cannot complete the procedure because there is a problem in the system, try again later.
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Step two
Consult the procedure's status
You can do this at:
You can do this at:
- "Private area" (with idCAT Mòbil and/or digital certificate)
- "Status of my procedures and processes" (gencat.cat) (with the procedure's identifier and your DNI/NIF)
- "Status of my procedures and processes" (Canal Empresa) (with the procedure's identifier and your DNI/NIF)
- 012 help line (with the procedure's identifier and your DNI/NIF)
To find out more, watch the video tutorial "Consult the status of my procedures and processes".
What is the application's identifier code (ID) and where can I find it?
It is an alphanumeric code that is obtained with the confirmation of receipt, after submitting the application. It enables you to consult the status of your procedures without needing a digital certificate.
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Step three
Pay the fee
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Step four
Provide documentation
Once the application and the documentation submitted have been reviewed, the Administration may require the provision of additional documentation. The contribution of these documents must be made [...]
Once the application and the documentation submitted have been reviewed, the Administration may require the provision of additional documentation. The contribution of these documents must be made from:
An acknowledgement of receipt is generated for each document submitted.
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Step five
Receiving a reply from the administrative body
What kind of reply is received?
What kind of reply is received?
The document certifying entry in the Catalan Health Register of Food Industries and Products (RSIPAC) will be made available by means of an electronic notification. You can access this notification by means of a digital certificate or a single-use password. There you will see which certificates are accepted.
Notifications that require prior authorisation of operation have a maximum period of six months from the date of receipt of the application by the body authorised to process it. If this period expires without the procedure's result having been notified, it will be understood that the application has been approved.
While processing the file, the competent health authority may request all the complementary documentation that it considers necessary for identifying the activity performed by the company, verifying compliance with the general and specific requirements that must be met pursuant to the general and specific health legislation applicable to each food-related activity, and performing the inspection visit.
Receive entry in the RGSEAA
In those cases where the food-related activity notified requires entry in the Spanish General Health Register of Food Companies and Food Products (RGSEAA), the Public Health Agency of Catalonia will notify ex officio entry in the RSIPAC and the prior authorisation, if applicable, to the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition so that the company can be entered in the RGSEAA.
The Public Health Agency of Catalonia will send you the document issued by the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition that confirms entry in the RGSEAA by means of an electronic notification.
How is the reply received?
You will receive the reply in the form of an electronic notification posted on the e-NOTUM notifications portal. You will have 10 calendar days to accept it or reject it, counting from the date on which the notification is available for viewing. If you have not accessed the notification by the end of this period, it will be understood that you have rejected it. The notification will be considered made from the moment you access its content.
You can view electronic notifications via any of these channels:
- From the link given in the notice that you will receive by e-mail or at the mobile phone number you have given in the application.
- From the "Electronic notifications" section.
- From the Canal Empresa private area.
You can access it by means of a digital certificate, idCAT Mòbil or a single-use password. If you access it from the private area ("My folder"), you must identify yourself beforehand with idCAT Mòbil or a digital certificate.
To find out more, see the "Electronic notifications" section on gencat.cat's Procedures site.
