India on Monday said the requirement for a certificate of inspection from government authorities for rice exports is limited to certain European Union (EU) member states. However, the exports to other European countries are exempted from this requirement for six months, the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) notification said. "The requirement of a certificate of inspection from Export Inspection Council (EIC)/Export Inspection Agency for rice (basmati and non-basmati) exports is limited to EU member states, the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland," the DGFT notification said. EIC is the official export certification body of India which ensures quality and safety of products exported from India. The UK, Netherlands, Italy, and Germany are some of the major importers of rice from India, which is a leading exporter of the grain.