MEPs and ministers agree to beef up official food checks from farm to fork

Draft plans to tighten up official controls from farm to fork were informally agreed by food safety MEPs and the Dutch Presidency of the Council on Wednesday. It aims to guarantee that the food consumers buy and eat in Europe is safe and wholesome, hence improving consumer’s health and preventing food crises.

The legislation aims to provide a comprehensive, integrated and more effective control system in the areas of food and feed safety rules, veterinary and plant health requirements, organic production and protected geographical indication rules.

The agreement negotiated between MEPs and the Dutch Presidency of the Council provides for:

• a comprehensive scope, encompassing the whole agri-food chain: controls on food, feed, plant health, pesticides, animal welfare, geographical indications, organic farming,
• unannounced, risk-based controls in all sectors,
• better enforcement against fraudulent or deceptive practices,
• import conditions for animals and products imported from third countries, and
• European Commission controls in EU member states and in third countries.