Strict and regular official controls, enforcing existing rules and carried out by the EU Member States' authorities, ensure that the EU's high standards for food and feed are maintained.
The specific objective of the Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, related to official controls, is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of official controls, as a vital tool for maintaining a high level of safety for humans, animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment.
EU Reference Laboratories
EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs) aim to ensure high-quality, uniform testing in the EU and support Commission activities on risk management and risk assessment in the area of laboratory analysis in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 2017/625.
Role of EURLs:
- Provide National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) with analytical methods and diagnostic technics, and coordinate their application;
- Train NRL staff and experts from developing countries;
- Assist the Commission scientifically and technically e.g. when EU countries contest results of analysis;
- Collaborate with the competent laboratories in non-EU countries;
- Assist actively in the diagnosis of animal disease outbreaks in EU countries.
1. EU Reference laboratories
Please refer to this page, where you'll find the list of the European Union Reference Laboratories for Animal Health and Food and Feed.
2. Funding of EURLs programmes
EU-RLs receive annual EU funding to fulfil their tasks and functions and cover their operational costs (Decision 2009/470/EC).
Every year the Commission approves their work programmes. Laboratories receive funding if they have completed their work programmes and supply the necessary information on time.
Regulation (EU) No 926/2011, amended by Regulation (EU) No 135/2013 - funding rules until 31 December 2014
In 2015, the funding rules are defined by the Regulation (EU) No 652/2014 for food chain, animal and plant health expenditures. The main objective of the Regulation related to official controls is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of official controls, as a vital tool for maintaining a high level of safety for humans, animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment
As regards the updated procedure following the introduction of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, see the flowchart under point 3. Useful information.
- 2019-2020
- Financing Decision C(2018) 7485 for the Union contribution to the European Union reference laboratories and the European Union reference centres for 2019 and 2020
- Commission Work Programme / Financing decision: Decision 2017/C 6889 - EU funding for 2018-2020 to EURLs – Annex 2017/C 6889
- General conditions for the financial support to EU reference laboratories
- Rules of expenditure eligibility
- Template of the work programme
- 2018
- 2016-2017
- Commission Work Programme / Financing decision: Decision 2015/C 4993 EU funding for 2016-2017 to EURLs - Annex 2015/C 4993; amended by Decision C(2017) 251
- EURLs approved Work Programmes
- EURLs approved estimated budgets for 2016-2017
- General conditions for the financial support to EU reference laboratories
- Rules of expenditure eligibility
- Templates to be used for the submission of the 2016-2017 estimated budget
3. Useful information
- flowchart procedures for EURLs programmes
- List of EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs)
- guidelines for grant applications (to be developed)
4. Previous years
- 2015
- Commission Work Programme / Financing decision: Decision 2014/C 244/06 EU funding for 2015 to EURLs; amended by Decision 2014/C461/14
- EURLs approved Work Programmes 2015
- EURLs approved estimated budgets for 2015
- 2014
- Financing decision: Decision 2014/ 27/ EU - EU funding for 2014 to EURLs.
- EURLs approved Work Programmes 2014
- 2013
- Financing decision: Decision 2013/ 155/ EU
- EURLs approved Work Programmes 2013
- 2012
- financing decision: Decision 2011/ 889/ EU EU funding for 2012 to EURLs
- EURLs approved Work Programmes 2012
- 2011
- financing decisions:
- EU funding to certain EURLs in the feed and food control area: Decision 2010/736/EU
- EU funding to certain EURLs in the area of animal health and live animals: Decision 2010/735/EU
- EU funding from 01/04 – 31/12/2011 for EU-RL on bee health: Decision 2011/338/EU
- financing decisions:
Training
The EU may finance the training of the staff of the competent authorities responsible for official controls in order to develop a harmonised approach to official controls, ensuring a high level of protection of human, animal and plant health.
Better Training for Safer Food is a Commission training initiative covering food and feed law, animal health and welfare and plant health rules. It trains Member State and candidate country national authority staff involved in official controls in these areas.