Food Law News - EU - 2014

EU Council Meeting, 15-16 December 2014

OFFICIAL CONTROLS - Proposed EU Legislation: Council Discussions

The following is an extract from the Agriculture and Fisheries Council Meeting held on the 15th and 16th December, 2014:

The aim of the proposal on official controls is to simplify and streamline the existing legal framework, in order to improve the efficiency of official controls performed by the member states along the agri-food chain while minimising the burden for operators and ensuring they are on a level-playing field (9464/13). The proposal also intends to establish a unique set of rules applicable to all sectors (in particular, plant health, plant reproductive material and animal by-products are now included in the proposal).

While many difficulties identified in the discussions in the Council have been overcome since the submission of the proposal in May 2013, the Presidency considered that further work is still needed on the following issues:

• the financing of the official controls and other official activities (Articles 76 to 84);
• the role of the official veterinarian in the performance of official controls on live animals and products of animal origin in the EU and at EU borders (Articles 15, 47 and 53);
• specific rules for official controls and action taken by the competent authorities in the different sectors covered by the scope of the proposal (Articles 15 to 24).

The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading on 15 April 2014. This position was subsequently confirmed by the newly elected European Parliament in July 2014.

Further details are contained in a report submitted to the Council Meeting and available on this site. See: Progress Report - 16398/14