New food chain controls regulation enters force

The new EU Controls Regulation (2017/625) provides a framework for the control of the entire food chain, said a government press release.

The purpose of the Controls Regulation is to ensure that EU food chain legislation is applied correctly and uniformly in the Member States. The new EU Controls Regulation (2017/625) provides a framework for the control of the entire food chain. The purpose of the Controls Regulation is to ensure that EU food chain legislation is applied correctly and uniformly in the Member States.

The scope of application of the new Controls Regulation is broader than that of the current Control Regulation (EC) No 882/2004. The new regulation applies to food and feed, food contact materials, the deliberate release into the environment of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) for the purpose of food and feed production; animal health and welfare, animal by-products, plant health, plant protection products and organic production, and name protection issues.

The Controls Regulation applies above all to the activities of the authorities and does not impose any direct obligations on consumers or operators in the food chain. However, changes in the provisions on supervision will also have indirect effects on the activities of supervised companies.

In addition to traditional safety and health controls, the regulation pays more attention to the prevention of fraudulent practices in the food chain. It also offers new means for preventing and investigating fraud. Such means include the right of the supervisory authority to take samples anonymously and the closure of operators’ websites.

The Controls Regulation harmonises the control of imports of consignments from outside the EU in the Member States. Different product groups may be inspected at joint border inspection posts. The objective of import controls is to prevent and minimise the risks arising from international trade in animals, food and food contact materials, feed, plants and plant products and animal by-products.

With regard to import controls, the amendments will have a particular impact on the control of phytosanitary requirements, as in the future all plants and plant products referred to in the Plant Health Regulation must be introduced into the EU through border inspection posts designated by the Member States, with the exception of those imported by travellers or sent as parcels via post (imports of souvenirs).