# L_2023234EN.01019601.xml

| 22.9.2023 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 234/196 |
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22.9.2023

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 234/196

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COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2023/1811

of 20 September 2023

amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 by establishing the programme of Commission controls for 2024 in the Member States to verify the application of Union agri-food chain legislation

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to 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) (1), and in particular Article 118(1), point (b), thereof,

Whereas:

| (1) | The responsibility to enforce Union agri-food chain legislation lies with Member States, whose competent authorities monitor and verify, through the organisation of official controls, that relevant Union requirements are effectively complied with and enforced. Parallel to this monitoring and verification, Article 116 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires Commission experts to perform controls, including audits, in Member States to verify the application of Union legislation. These Commission controls should be performed in the areas of food and feed safety, animal health and welfare, plant health, plant protection products, and the functioning of national control systems and competent authorities, which operate them, taking into account synergies with control arrangements under the common agricultural policy. |
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(1)

The responsibility to enforce Union agri-food chain legislation lies with Member States, whose competent authorities monitor and verify, through the organisation of official controls, that relevant Union requirements are effectively complied with and enforced. Parallel to this monitoring and verification, Article 116 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires Commission experts to perform controls, including audits, in Member States to verify the application of Union legislation. These Commission controls should be performed in the areas of food and feed safety, animal health and welfare, plant health, plant protection products, and the functioning of national control systems and competent authorities, which operate them, taking into account synergies with control arrangements under the common agricultural policy.

| (2) | Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 (2) established in Chapters 1 to 10 of the Annex thereto a multiannual programme of controls to be carried out by Commission experts in the Member States to verify the application of Union agri-food chain legislation for the period 2021-2025, aligned with the Commission’s term of office and reflecting its priorities. |
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(2)

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 (2) established in Chapters 1 to 10 of the Annex thereto a multiannual programme of controls to be carried out by Commission experts in the Member States to verify the application of Union agri-food chain legislation for the period 2021-2025, aligned with the Commission’s term of office and reflecting its priorities.

| (3) | In accordance with Article 118(1), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, Chapter 11 of the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 setting out the programme of Commission controls for the following year is to be communicated to the Member States by the end of each year. Chapter 11 should be updated to reflect the programme of Commission controls planned for 2024. |
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(3)

In accordance with Article 118(1), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, Chapter 11 of the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 setting out the programme of Commission controls for the following year is to be communicated to the Member States by the end of each year. Chapter 11 should be updated to reflect the programme of Commission controls planned for 2024.

| (4) | Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 should therefore be amended accordingly. |
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(4)

Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 should therefore be amended accordingly.

| (5) | Given that this amendment concerns the annual programme of controls for 2024, which applies as of 1 January 2024, the date of application of this Decision should be deferred to coincide with that date,’ |
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(5)

Given that this amendment concerns the annual programme of controls for 2024, which applies as of 1 January 2024, the date of application of this Decision should be deferred to coincide with that date,’

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 January 2024.

Done at Brussels, 20 September 2023.

For the Commission

The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN

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(1)  
  OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1.

1

(2)  Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 of 23 October 2020 establishing the multiannual programme of controls for the period 2021-2025 to be carried out by Commission experts in the Member States to verify the application of Union agri-food chain legislation (OJ L 354, 26.10.2020, p. 9).

2

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ANNEX

The Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1550 is amended as follows:

| (1) | In the sixth paragraph, the second sentence is replaced by the following:

  ‘Chapter 11 sets out the programme of controls for 2024.’. |
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(1)

In the sixth paragraph, the second sentence is replaced by the following:

‘Chapter 11 sets out the programme of controls for 2024.’.

| (2) | Chapter 11 is replaced by the following:
  ‘11.   Programme of controls for 2024









  Area | Priority area | Focus in 2024 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Food & food safety | Food of animal origin | Safety of meat of mammals and birds and products thereof
  Safety of milk and products thereof
  Safety of fishery products |
| Food of non-animal origin | Microbiological safety |
| Residues in live animals and food of animal origin | Chemical safety – residues |
| Feed & feed safety | Feed safety | General feed hygiene (including medicated feed) |
| Animal by-products and derived products |
| Animal health | Category A diseases under Regulation (EU) 2016/429 | African swine fever
  Highly pathogenic avian influenza
  Sheep and goat pox |
| Category B and C diseases under Regulation (EU) 2016/429 | Fish diseases
  Monitoring system for category B and C diseases |
| Preparedness & prevention | Contingency planning covered during African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza audits |
| Animal welfare | On farm | Turkeys
  Fish (including slaughter and transport) |
| Plant health | Plant pest outbreaks | Plant pest outbreaks presenting a significant threat |
| Movement of plants, plant products and other objects within the Union | Plant passports |
| Preparedness and prevention | Plant health survey programmes |
| PPP & SUD | Plant protection products (PPP) | Chemical safety (authorisation, marketing and use of pesticides, illegal pesticides, pesticides residues) |
| Food quality | Organic farming | Organic farming |
| Entry into the Union of animals and goods from third countries | Official controls on animals and goods | Animals and goods |
| AMR | Monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic and commensal bacteria | AMR in zoonotic and commensal bacteria |
| General aspects within the agri-food chain | Follow-up of audit recommendations | General and sectoral follow-up of audit recommendations |
| Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) | GMOs |
| Any emergency situations, emerging problems and new developments | Emergency situations, emerging problems and new developments’ |

(2)

Chapter 11 is replaced by the following:

‘11.   Programme of controls for 2024

Area

Priority area

Focus in 2024

Food & food safety

Food of animal origin

Safety of meat of mammals and birds and products thereof

Safety of milk and products thereof

Safety of fishery products

Food of non-animal origin

Microbiological safety

Residues in live animals and food of animal origin

Chemical safety – residues

Feed & feed safety

Feed safety

General feed hygiene (including medicated feed)

Animal by-products and derived products

Animal health

Category A diseases under Regulation (EU) 2016/429

African swine fever

Highly pathogenic avian influenza

Sheep and goat pox

Category B and C diseases under Regulation (EU) 2016/429

Fish diseases

Monitoring system for category B and C diseases

Preparedness & prevention

Contingency planning covered during African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza audits

Animal welfare

On farm

Turkeys

Fish (including slaughter and transport)

Plant health

Plant pest outbreaks

Plant pest outbreaks presenting a significant threat

Movement of plants, plant products and other objects within the Union

Plant passports

Preparedness and prevention

Plant health survey programmes

PPP & SUD

Plant protection products (PPP)

Chemical safety (authorisation, marketing and use of pesticides, illegal pesticides, pesticides residues)

Food quality

Organic farming

Organic farming

Entry into the Union of animals and goods from third countries

Official controls on animals and goods

Animals and goods

AMR

Monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic and commensal bacteria

AMR in zoonotic and commensal bacteria

General aspects within the agri-food chain

Follow-up of audit recommendations

General and sectoral follow-up of audit recommendations

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

GMOs

Any emergency situations, emerging problems and new developments

Emergency situations, emerging problems and new developments’

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