Home › Food & Health Safety › Official Controls Regulation

Official Controls Regulation In force since 14 December 2019

REGULATION (EU) 2017/625 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation)
32017R0625 · official text on EUR-Lex

This English text is a careful, terminology-researched translation prepared by eucite.com — not an official government translation. The German original linked above is the legally authoritative text.

Articles

• Article 1 — Subject matter and scope
• Article 2 — Official controls and other official activities
• Article 3 — Definitions

Chapter I Competent authorities

• Article 4 — Designation of competent authorities
• Article 5 — General obligations concerning the competent authorities and the organic control authorities
• Article 6 — Audits of the competent authorities
• Article 7 — Right of appeal
• Article 8 — Confidentiality obligations of the competent authorities

Chapter II Official controls

Section I General requirements

• Article 9 — General rules on official controls
• Article 10 — Operators, processes and activities subject to official controls
• Article 11 — Transparency of official controls
• Article 12 — Documented control procedures
• Article 13 — Written records of official controls
• Article 14 — Methods and techniques for official controls
• Article 15 — Obligations of operators

Section II Additional requirements for official controls and other official activities in certain areas

• Article 16 — Additional requirements
• Article 17 — Specific definitions
• Article 18 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to the production of products of animal origin intended for human consumption
• Article 19 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to the residues of relevant substances in food and feed
• Article 20 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to animals, products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by-products and derived products
• Article 21 — Specific rules on official controls and for action to be taken by the competent authorities in relation to the welfare requirements for animals
• Article 22 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to plant health
• Article 23 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to GMOs for the purpose of food and feed production and genetically modified food and feed
• Article 24 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to plant protection products
• Article 25 — Specific rules on official controls and other official activities for organic production and labelling of organic products
• Article 26 — Specific rules on official controls and other official activities performed by the competent authorities in relation to protected designations of origin, protected geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed
• Article 27 — Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in cases of newly identified risks in relation to food and feed

Chapter III Delegation of certain tasks of the competent authorities

• Article 28 — Delegation by the competent authorities of certain official control tasks
• Article 29 — Conditions for delegating certain official control tasks to delegated bodies
• Article 30 — Conditions for delegating certain official control tasks to natural persons
• Article 31 — Conditions for delegating certain tasks related to other official activities
• Article 32 — Obligations of the delegated bodies and natural persons
• Article 33 — Obligations of the delegating competent authorities

Chapter IV Sampling, analyses, tests and diagnoses

• Article 34 — Methods used for sampling, analyses, tests and diagnoses
• Article 35 — Second expert opinion
• Article 36 — Sampling of animals and goods offered for sale by means of distance communication
• Article 37 — Designation of official laboratories
• Article 38 — Obligations of official laboratories
• Article 39 — Audits of official laboratories
• Article 40 — Derogations from the condition for the mandatory accreditation for certain official laboratories
• Article 41 — Powers to adopt derogations from the condition for the mandatory accreditation of all the methods of laboratory analysis, test and diagnosis used by official laboratories
• Article 42 — Temporary derogations from the conditions of the mandatory accreditation for official laboratories

Chapter V Official controls on animals and goods entering the Union

• Article 43 — Official controls on animals and goods entering the Union

Section I Animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under section II

• Article 44 — Official controls on animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under Section II
• Article 45 — Types of official controls on animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under Section II
• Article 46 — Samples taken on animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under Section II

Section II Official controls at border control posts on animals and goods

• Article 47 — Animals and goods subject to official controls at border control posts
• Article 48 — Animals and goods exempted from official controls at border control posts
• Article 49 — Official controls at border control posts
• Article 50 — Certificates and documents accompanying consignments and split consignments
• Article 51 — Specific rules for official controls at border control posts
• Article 52 — Details of documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks
• Article 53 — Official controls not performed at border control posts
• Article 54 — Frequency of documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks
• Article 55 — Decisions on consignments
• Article 56 — Use of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) by the operator and by the competent authorities
• Article 57 — Use of the CHED by customs authorities
• Article 58 — Format, time requirements and specific rules for the use of the CHED
• Article 59 — Designation of border control posts
• Article 60 — Listing of border control posts
• Article 61 — Withdrawal of approvals for, and re-designation of, existing border control entities
• Article 62 — Withdrawal of the designation of border control posts
• Article 63 — Suspension of the designation of border control posts
• Article 64 — Minimum requirements for border control posts

Section III Action in the event of suspicion of Non-compliance and of Non-compliance of animals and goods entering the union

• Article 65 — Suspicion of non-compliance and intensified official controls
• Article 66 — Measures to be taken in cases of non-compliant consignments entering the Union
• Article 67 — Measures to be taken on animals or goods entering the Union from third countries presenting a risk
• Article 68 — Follow-up of decisions taken in relation to non-compliant consignments entering the Union from third countries
• Article 69 — Failure by the operator to apply the measures ordered by the competent authorities
• Article 70 — Consistency of application of Articles 66, 67 and 68
• Article 71 — Special treatment of consignments
• Article 72 — Re-dispatch of consignments

Section IV Approval of the pre-export controls

• Article 73 — Approval of pre-export controls performed by third countries
• Article 74 — Non-compliance with, and withdrawal of, the approval of pre-export controls performed by third countries

Section V Cooperation between authorities in relation to consignments from third countries

• Article 75 — Cooperation between authorities in relation to consignments entering the Union from third countries
• Article 76 — Cooperation between authorities in relation to consignments not subject to specific controls at borders

Section VI Specific measures

• Article 77 — Rules for specific official controls and for measures to be taken following the performance of such controls

Chapter VI Financing of official controls and of other official activities

• Article 78 — General rules
• Article 79 — Mandatory fees or charges
• Article 80 — Other fees or charges
• Article 81 — Costs
• Article 82 — Calculation of fees or charges
• Article 83 — Collection and application of fees or charges
• Article 84 — Payment of fees or charges
• Article 85 — Transparency

Chapter VII Official certification

• Article 86 — General requirements concerning official certification
• Article 87 — Official certificates
• Article 88 — Signature and issuance of official certificates
• Article 89 — Guarantees of reliability for official certificates
• Article 90 — Implementing powers concerning official certificates
• Article 91 — Official attestations
• Article 92 — Decision to establish a European Union reference laboratory
• Article 93 — Designation of European Union reference laboratories
• Article 94 — Responsibilities and tasks of European Union reference laboratories
• Article 95 — Designation of European Union reference centres for animal welfare
• Article 96 — Responsibilities and tasks of European Union reference centres for animal welfare
• Article 97 — Designation of European Union reference centres for the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain
• Article 98 — Responsibilities and tasks of European Union reference centres for the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain
• Article 99 — Obligations of the Commission
• Article 100 — Designation of national reference laboratories
• Article 101 — Responsibilities and tasks of national reference laboratories
• Article 102 — General rules
• Article 103 — Liaison bodies
• Article 104 — Assistance on request
• Article 105 — Assistance without request in the event of non-compliance
• Article 106 — Assistance in the event of non-compliance creating a risk or a repeated or potentially serious infringement
• Article 107 — Assistance on the basis of information provided by third countries
• Article 108 — Coordinated assistance and follow-up by the Commission
• Article 109 — Multi-annual national control plans (MANCP) and a single body for the MANCP
• Article 110 — Content of the MANCPs
• Article 111 — Preparation, update and review of MANCPs
• Article 112 — Coordinated control programmes and information and data collection
• Article 113 — Annual reports by the Member States
• Article 114 — Annual reports by the Commission
• Article 115 — Contingency plans for food and feed

Chapter I Commission controls

• Article 116 — Commission controls in Member States
• Article 117 — Reports by the Commission on controls in Member States
• Article 118 — Programme of the Commission controls in Member States
• Article 119 — Obligations of the Member States as regards Commission controls
• Article 120 — Commission controls in third countries
• Article 121 — Frequency of Commission controls in third countries
• Article 122 — Reports by the Commission on controls in third countries
• Article 123 — Programme of the Commission controls in third countries
• Article 124 — Third-country controls in Member States

Chapter II Conditions for the entry into the Union of animals and goods

• Article 125 — Information on third countries' control systems
• Article 126 — Establishment of additional conditions for entry into the Union of animals and goods
• Article 127 — Inclusion in the list of third countries referred to in point (a) of Article 126(2)
• Article 128 — Special measures regarding the entry into the Union of certain animals and goods
• Article 129 — Equivalence

Chapter III Training of staff of the competent authorities and of other authorities

• Article 130 — Training and exchange of staff

Chapter IV Information management system

• Article 131 — Information management system for official controls (IMSOC)
• Article 132 — General functionalities of the IMSOC
• Article 133 — Use of the IMSOC in the case of animals and goods subject to certain official controls
• Article 134 — The functioning of the IMSOC
• Article 135 — Data protection
• Article 136 — Data security

Chapter I Actions by the competent authorities and penalties

• Article 137 — General obligations of the competent authorities as regards enforcement action
• Article 138 — Actions in the event of established non-compliance
• Article 139 — Penalties
• Article 140 — Reporting of infringements

Chapter II Union enforcement measures

• Article 141 — Serious disruption in a Member State's control system

Chapter I Procedural provisions

• Article 142 — Amendment of Annexes and references to European standards
• Article 143 — Data protection
• Article 144 — Exercise of the delegation
• Article 145 — Committee procedure

Chapter II Transitional and final provisions

• Article 146 — Repeals
• Article 147 — Relation with Regulation (EC) No 882/2004
• Article 148 — Relation with Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and (EC) No 853/2004 regarding approval of food business establishments
• Article 149 — Transitional measures related to the repeals of Directives 91/496/EEC and 97/78/EC
• Article 150 — Transitional measures related to the repeal of Directive 96/23/EC
• Article 151 — Amendments to Directive 98/58/EC
• Article 152 — Amendments to Directive 1999/74/EC
• Article 153 — Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001
• Article 154 — Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 and related transitional measures
• Article 155 — Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 and related transitional measures
• Article 156 — Amendments to Directive 2007/43/EC
• Article 157 — Amendments to Directive 2008/119/EC
• Article 158 — Amendments to Directive 2008/120/EC
• Article 159 — Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009
• Article 160 — Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009
• Article 161 — Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009
• Article 162 — Amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012
• Article 163 — Amendments to Regulation (EU) No 652/2014
• Article 164 — Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and related transitional provisions
• Article 165 — Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 and related transitional provisions
• Article 166 — Transitional measures for the adoption of delegated and implementing acts
• Article 167 — Entry into force and application