EU: Do you know how Member States fight fraud along the agri-food chain? A new Commission report gives you an insight.
Fraud in the agri-food chain affects industry and consumers economically, undermines consumer trust and may lead to serious health issues. The EU has recognised the importance of tackling fraudulent and deceptive practices in the agri-food chain and since 2019 Member States are required to carry out risk-based controls to detect fraudulent and deceptive practices.
The Commission carried out a project between 2020 and 2022 to collect information on the new arrangements put in place by Member States to fight fraud in the agri-food chain. Based on this project, the Commission has published an overview report which focuses on eight Member Statues and how their competent authorities developed control arrangements and strategies to combat fraudulent practices. It presents the challenges, opportunities, and several good practice examples in relation to fraud related controls in the Member States.
Furthermore, the Commission published in March 2023 a guidance document to support Member States in their efforts to combat fraud within the agri-food supply chain. It is particularly helpful, as it clearly outlines how to uniformly interpret and apply the respective EU laws in the context of fighting food fraud.