Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The European Commission in Brussels has established a task force to maintain and enhance the EU's ability to ensure that imports comply with EU standards, while supporting jobs and the growth of EU producers.

According to a statement issued by the Commission, the task force will focus specifically on food and feed safety, pesticide residues, and coordinated EU-wide monitoring procedures for specific imported products. Comprising experts from the Commission and Member States, the task force will contribute to greater coordination of import controls across the EU, develop recommendations on joint Commission-Member State actions, and identify areas requiring additional administrative or regulatory measures to strengthen controls.

The stringent import rules relating to food and feed hygiene, consumer safety, and animal and plant health aim to ensure that all imports meet the same high standards as EU products. Import controls are crucial for verifying that food and feed products comply with the relevant requirements. EU rules apply to all products sold in the EU, whether produced domestically or imported. The task force was officially launched on the sidelines of a meeting of the Council of Member States, and it builds on the implementation dialogue on import controls held last December, when the Commission announced it was strengthening its measures in this area.