Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - EU - 2016

European Commission – Statement, 16 June 2016

OFFICIAL CONTROLS - Statement by Commissioner Andriukaitis on the political agreement reached on the EU proposal for revision of the provisions on official controls along the food chain

Note that the 'trilogue' is a group which brings together the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament is a forum to discuss proposals and to try to achieve compromise prior to having their separate individual debates on a proposal.

"I welcome the political agreement reached yesterday, Wednesday 15 June, at the last trilogue between the co-legislators on the Official Controls proposal. This brings us a step closer toward smarter rules for the enforcement of agri-food legislation. The EU is equipping itself with a simpler and more effective control system in the areas of food and feed safety rules, veterinary and phytosanitary requirements, organic production and protected geographical indication rules. This regulation is part of a comprehensive package which includes major reviews to improve both animal and plant health legislation.

The new rules will contribute significantly to modernize and strengthen checks performed by public authorities, and to fight fraudulent and deceptive practices which hurt consumers and law-abiding businesses alike. The new framework will be "future-proof", as it will allow control and enforcement action requirements to be adjusted over time to factor in new technologies, new patterns of production or consumption, and new hazards and risks. For the first time the comprehensive framework will also be applicable to controls performed to verify compliance with EU rules on plant health. In addition it creates the conditions to achieve important progresses in the area of animal welfare through the establishment of dedicated reference centres.

Last but not least the new Regulation establishes a fully integrated system of border checks and provides for the independence, quality and accountability of the enforcement actors in the Member States, thus improving the transparency of official controls.

I look forward to the finalisation of the process in Council and Parliament."

For more details, see the related news item: 16 June 2016 OFFICIAL CONTROLS - MEPs and ministers agree to beef up official food checks from farm to fork