Implementation dialogue on import controls with Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi

On Tuesday 9 December, Commissioner Várhelyi will host an Implementation Dialogue on import controls, to discuss how they can be simplified and made more efficient, while maintaining the EU’s high standards of food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health.

The Commissioner will meet with representatives from different sectors of the agri-food industry, including SMEs, as well as NGOs, to gather targeted feedback on the EU’s import control system, in line with the Vision on Agriculture and Food.

Participants will discuss the main challenges they encounter in the implementation of EU rules on import controls. They will also consider how these challenges could be overcome without compromising their effectiveness in protecting EU citizens, agriculture and the environment. The Dialogue will be a chance to explore how innovation and new technologies could be used to improve the EU’s import control procedures and boost competitiveness in this area.

The Implementation Dialogue on import controls will feed into the work of a new Task Force on strengthening Import Controls, to be launched in early 2026.

A full report on the Implementation Dialogue will be published below after the event.

Agenda

For more information on EU official controls, see:

• Official controls and enforcement - Food Safety
• Implementation Dialogues