Official controls are carried out by the competent authorities in the EU countries to verify business compliance with the requirements set out in agri-food chain legislation.
The agri-food chain encompasses activities preceding and comprising the production of food, i.e. from farm to fork, stable to table). It ranges from plants and animal production, to food manufacturing and supply; including activities that take place at the farm level, but also processing and distribution to the consumer.
Agri-food chain rules therefore cover the safety and quality of food and feed, plant health, animal health and welfare. They also cover import controls on animals and goods entering the EU from third countries (i.e. countries outside the EU).
The EU countries are responsible for the enforcement of agri-food chain legislation. Competent authorities organise official controls systems on their territory to verify that operators' activities and goods placed on the EU market (either EU produced or imported from non-EU countries) comply with relevant standards and requirements.
All business operators must ensure compliance with EU agri-food chain requirements in their daily activities. They are subject to official controls irrespective of their size, depending on the risk posed by different activities to the safety of the agri-food chain. View our Questions and Answers page.
The role of the EU is to assure that the control systems at national level are effective. This is the task of Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, through its Health and Food Audits and Analysis directorate (previously called "Food and Veterinary Office" – FVO). It carries out controls to ensure that the national authorities in EU countries and non-EU countries exporting to the EU are fulfilling their legal obligations.
Related content
- Import controls of food and feed - Questions and Answers
- Health and Food Audits and Analysis
- TRAde Control and Expert System (TRACES)
- Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)
- EU coordinated actions
- Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products
- Publication of the Commission Notice on the Implementation of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Official Controls Regulation) C/2024/6481
- Conference: Smarter rules for safer food and plant health (13 December 2019)
- Guidance document on how to fill in section 9 of the standard model form in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/723
- Guidance document on the implementation of the provisions for the conduct of audits under Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 - 2021/C 66/02
- Guidance document on how to fill in the standard model form in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/723 to be used in the annual reports submitted by Member States - 2021/C 71/01
- Guidance document on the implementation of the requirements for the multi-annual national control plans as set out in Articles 109 to 111 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 - 2021/C 78/01
Food and feed are imported into the European Union every day from countries around the world. To ensure these imports meet the same high standards as food produced within the EU, a strong system of official controls is in place. These checks protect consumers by preventing the entry of unsafe products, harmful substances, and animal or plant diseases into the EU food supply.