Official Controls

The Commission proposal on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health, plant reproductive material, plant protection products, has been published on 6 May 2013. The legislative proposal is part of a comprehensive package, which includes the animal health law, the plant health and plant reproductive material and aims to modernise and integrate the system of official controls.

The proposal revises the legislation on official controls to overcome shortcomings identified1 and aims to put in place a robust and transparent regulatory framework. The proposal replaces and repeals the Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 and the Regulation 854/2004/EC laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption. It also replaces and repeals a number of sectoral acts and provisions. FVE welcome the Commission efforts to streamline the current body of EU agri-food chain legislation proposing a package of 5 key Regulations.

FVE appreciates the aim to reduce the red-tape on processes, the burden on the food chain players (competent authorities, producers, processors and distributors) and to make easier for them to carry out their professional responsibilities.