The European Commission is preparing a revolution on the food market. New inspections from January
The European Commission announced that from January next year, it will introduce stricter controls on food, animal and plant products imported into the European Union. The initiative aims to increase food safety and ensure a level playing field for EU producers.
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More audits and inspections – also at EU borders
The EU Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare, Oliver Varhelyi, announced during a press conference in Brussels that the changes will cover both controls within the EU and in countries outside it. He explained that the European Union imports products worth EUR 160 billion annually and the new measures are aimed at better enforcement of existing regulations. The Commissioner indicated that a special task force on import control will be established in January, whose task will be to improve cooperation between Member States and experts.
Varhelyi stressed that the Commission will increase the number of audits carried out in third countries to ensure that their products meet EU safety standards. He added that it is also planned to monitor non-compliant goods more intensively and to adjust the frequency of inspections depending on the inspection results.
One of the key elements of the new regulations will be an increase in the number of inspections at European border control posts by one third. As the Commissioner noted, particular emphasis will be placed on the main entry points to the EU, such as seaports.
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New obligations, training and changes in pesticide regulations
The European Commission also announced the launch of a training program for approximately 500 employees of Member State authorities who will deal with official controls. The regulations regarding the import of products containing trace amounts of pesticides banned in the European Union will also change.
Commissioner Varhelyi explained that the planned tightening is not aimed at specific countries, such as the Mercosur countries or the United States, but is aimed at improving the enforcement of regulations already in force. He emphasized that these measures had been previously consulted with EU farmers and entrepreneurs, and their goal is not only the safety of consumers, but also to ensure equal opportunities for producers from the European Union.
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