Enforcing EU rules for the agri-food chain

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 — official controls along the agri-food chain

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

The regulation sets out common rules for European Union (EU) official controls to ensure that agri-food chain legislation to protect human health, animal health and welfare, and plant health, is correctly applied and enforced.
The regulation introduces a more harmonised and coherent system of official controls and enforcement measures along the agri-food chain, and strengthens the principle of risk-based controls.

KEY POINTS

Agri-food chain

The regulation includes rules on official controls performed on all food and feed businesses, from primary producers to retailers and caterers, including plant and animal breeders, growers and traders.

Scope

The regulation covers official controls carried out by national enforcement authorities to verify compliance with agri-food chain rules on:
- food and food safety, integrity and wholesomeness throughout production, processing and distribution;
- the use of genetically modified organisms for food and feed production;
- feed and feed safety throughout production, processing, distribution and use;
- animal health and welfare;
- organic production and labelling.
The regulation also covers imports of certain animals and goods from:
- outside the EU which must be checked at EU border control posts;
- goods sold via the internet.
The regulation also covers official controls to check compliance of imported animals and products of animal origin with certain rules on the use of veterinary medicines.

Risk-based system

Sets out a risk-based control system so that national enforcement authorities carry out official controls where they are most needed.
In general, to ensure their effectiveness, these controls will be unannounced.

Animal welfare

Official controls apply to animal welfare rules, including during transport, slaughter and farming.
The European Commission can adopt legislation to adjust official control rules to meet the specific needs of animal welfare.
There will be EU reference centres for animal welfare which:
- assist EU Member States with their official controls by:
  - carrying out scientific and technical studies,
  - conducting training courses,
  - sharing research findings and information on technical innovations;
- provide scientific and technical expertise on methods to assess and improve the welfare of animals.

Cooperation between Member States

Clarifies and strengthens rules on the cooperation and administrative assistance between Member States.
Member States must ensure information is exchanged between national authorities and other enforcement authorities, public prosecutors and judicial authorities on possible cases of non-compliance.
An integrated management system for official controls will integrate all existing (and future) computer systems managed by the Commission.

Transparency

National authorities must publish annual reports.

Financing

Rules for calculating fees for official controls will ensure that Member States properly finance their control system and that the fees do not exceed the cost of performing official controls.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 14 December 2019 for most of the articles in the regulation such as those relating to its scope, definitions, rules for competent authorities, financing of official controls and enforcement actions of the competent authorities.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Enforcement of rules along the agri-food chain in the EU — factsheet (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 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 and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation) (OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, pp. 1–142).

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2017/625 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405 of 24 March 2021 laying down the lists of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 114, 31.3.2021, pp. 118–150).