General obligations concerning the competent authorities and the organic control authorities
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Competent authorities must run effective, impartial official controls Statutory regulator
Retained EU Law
2017
United Kingdom
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (Official Controls Regulation)
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
12 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Operator 5
Plus 7 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Mentioned in related content
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Confidentiality obligations of the competent authorities
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Competent authorities must keep confidential information from official controls Local authority
Obligations of operators
- Give access and cooperate with official control authorities Operator
Conditions for delegating certain official control tasks to delegated bodies
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Competent authorities must ensure delegated official control tasks meet strict conditions Statutory regulator
Use of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) by the operator and by the competent authorities
- Complete and submit a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) before goods arrive in GB Operator
Use of the CHED by customs authorities
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Customs authorities must require a finalised CHED before releasing controlled goods Crown / Minister / Government department
Failure by the operator to apply the measures ordered by the competent authorities
- Carry out enforcement measures ordered by authorities within 60 days Operator
Approval of pre-export controls performed by third countries
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Appropriate authority must specify controls and certificates when approving pre-export checks Crown / Minister / Government department
Payment of fees or charges
- Pay fees or charges for official controls when required Operator
Official attestations
- Issue accurate and authentic official attestations in required languages Operator
Designation of national reference laboratories
Amended 9 timesResponsibilities and tasks of national reference laboratories
Amended 7 timesGeneral rules
Amended 5 timesLiaison bodies
Amended 3 timesAssistance on request
Amended 5 timesAssistance without request in the event of non-compliance
Amended 3 timesAssistance in the event of non-compliance creating a risk or a repeated or potentially serious infringement
Amended 5 timesAssistance on the basis of information provided by third countries
Amended 4 timesCoordinated assistance and follow-up by the Commission
Amended 1 timeMulti-annual national control plans (MANCP) ...
Amended 3 timesContent of the MANCPs
Amended 2 timesPreparation, update and review of MANCPs
Amended 7 timesCoordinated control programmes and information and data collection
Amended 1 timeAnnual reports ...
Amended 3 timesAnnual reports by the Commission
Amended 1 timeContingency plans for food and feed
Amended 6 timesFrequency of ... controls in third countries
Amended 5 timesReports by the competent authority on controls in third countries
Amended 2 timesProgramme of ... controls in third countries
Amended 3 timesThird-country controls in Member States
Amended 1 timeInformation on third countries' control systems
Amended 6 timesEstablishment of additional conditions for entry into Great Britain of animals and goods
Amended 13 timesInclusion in the list of third countries referred to in point (a) of Article 126(2)
Amended 8 timesSpecial measures regarding the entry to Great Britain of certain animals and goods
Amended 10 timesEquivalence
Amended 7 timesInformation management system for official controls ...
Amended 5 timesGeneral functionalities of the computerised information management system
Amended 7 timesUse of the computerised information management system in the case of animals and goods subject to certain official controls
Amended 10 timesThe functioning of the appropriate computerised information management system
Amended 8 timesData protection
Amended 8 timesData security
Amended 1 timeActions in the event of established non-compliance
Amended 2 timesOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Regulators must investigate and enforce when non-compliance is found Statutory regulator
Penalties
Amended 8 timesReporting of infringements
Amended 2 timesSerious disruption in a control system in the British Islands
Amended 7 timesAmendment of Annexes and references to international standards
Amended 4 timesData protection
Amended 1 timeExercise of the delegation
Amended 1 timeCommittee procedure
Amended 1 timeRelation with Regulation (EC) No 882/2004
Amended 1 timeRelation with Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and (EC) No 853/2004 regarding approval of food business establishments
Amended 1 timeOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Competent authorities must process food business establishment approvals Statutory regulator
Transitional measures related to the repeals of Directives 91/496/EEC and 97/78/EC
Amended 2 timesTransitional measures related to the repeal of Directive 96/23/EC
Amended 11 timesAmendments to Directive 98/58/EC
Amended 1 timeAmendments to Directive 1999/74/EC
Amended 1 timeAmendments to Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 and related transitional measures
Amended 6 timesAmendments to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 and related transitional measures
Amended 2 timesAmendments to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012
Amended 2 timesAmendments to Regulation (EU) No 652/2014
Amended 1 timeAmendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 and related transitional provisions
Amended 2 timesTransitional measures for the adoption of delegated and implementing acts
Amended 1 timeDerogations and modifications for transitional purposes
Amended 3 timesBrowse 105 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
The plants listed in this Annex which come from a...
Methods of analysis and measurement results should be characterised by...
Subject matter and scope
Official controls and other official activities
Definitions
Designation of competent authorities
Audits of the competent authorities
Right of appeal
General rules on official controls
Operators, processes and activities subject to official controls
Transparency of official controls
Documented control procedures
Written records of official controls
Methods and techniques for official controls
Additional requirements
Specific definitions
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
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
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
Specific rules on official controls and for action to be taken by the competent authorities in relation to the welfare requirements for animals
Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to plant health
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
Specific rules on official controls and for action taken by the competent authorities in relation to plant protection products
Specific rules on official controls and other official activities for organic production and labelling of organic products
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
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
Delegation by the competent authorities of certain official control tasks
Conditions for delegating certain official control tasks to natural persons
Conditions for delegating certain tasks related to other official activities
Obligations of the delegated bodies and natural persons
Obligations of the delegating competent authorities
Methods used for sampling, analyses, tests and diagnoses
Second expert opinion
Sampling of animals and goods offered for sale by means of distance communication
Designation of official laboratories
Obligations of official laboratories
Audits of official laboratories
Derogations from the condition for the mandatory accreditation for certain official laboratories
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
Temporary derogations from the conditions of the mandatory accreditation for official laboratories
Official controls on animals and goods entering Great Britain
Official controls on animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under Section II
Types of official controls on animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under Section II
Samples taken on animals and goods other than those subject to official controls at border control posts under Section II
Animals and goods subject to official controls at border control posts
Animals and goods exempted from official controls, other official activities and related requirements
Official controls at border control posts
Certificates and documents accompanying consignments and split consignments
Specific rules for official controls at border control posts
Details of documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks
Official controls not performed at border control posts
Frequency of documentary checks, identity checks and physical checks
Decisions on consignments
Format, time requirements and specific rules for the use of the CHED
Designation of border control posts
Listing of border control posts
Withdrawal of approvals for, and re-designation of, existing border control entities
Withdrawal of the designation of border control posts
Suspension of the designation of border control posts
Minimum requirements for border control posts
Suspicion of non-compliance and intensified official controls
Measures to be taken in cases of non-compliant consignments entering Great Britain
Measures to be taken on animals or goods entering Great Britain from third countries presenting a risk
Follow-up of decisions taken in relation to non-compliant consignments entering Great Britain from third countries
Consistency of application of Articles 66, 67 and 68
Special treatment of consignments
Re-dispatch of consignments
Non-compliance with, and withdrawal of, the approval of pre-export controls performed by third countries
Cooperation between authorities in relation to consignments entering Great Britain from third countries
Cooperation between authorities in relation to consignments not subject to specific controls at borders
Rules for specific official controls and for measures to be taken following the performance of such controls
General rules
Mandatory fees or charges
Other fees or charges
Costs
Calculation of fees or charges
Collection and application of fees or charges
Transparency
General requirements concerning official certification
Official certificates
Signature and issuance of official certificates
Guarantees of reliability for official certificates
Decision to establish a European Union reference laboratory
Designation of European Union reference laboratories
Responsibilities and tasks of European Union reference laboratories
Designation of national reference centres for animal welfare
Responsibilities and tasks of national reference centres for animal welfare
Designation of national reference centres for the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain
Responsibilities and tasks of national reference centres for the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain
Obligations of the appropriate authority
Commission controls in Member States
Reports by the Commission on controls in Member States
Programme of the Commission controls in Member States
Obligations of the Member States as regards Commission controls
General obligations of the competent authorities as regards enforcement action
Repeals
Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001
Amendments to Directive 2007/43/EC
Amendments to Directive 2008/119/EC
Amendments to Directive 2008/120/EC
Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009
Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009
Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009
Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and related transitional provisions
Entry into force and application
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Official Controls Regulation | Food Standards Scotland (opens in a new tab) from Food Standards Scotland Detailed Guidance
- Plant Inspection Assistants (PIAS) | Food Standards Scotland (opens in a new tab) from Food Standards Scotland Detailed Guidance
- Shellfish | Food Standards Scotland (opens in a new tab) from Food Standards Scotland Detailed Guidance
- Animal feed regulations | Food Standards Scotland (opens in a new tab) from Food Standards Scotland Detailed Guidance
- Register work involving pesticides (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Local Authority
PrimaryLocal Authority (Environmental Health / Licensing / Planning)
Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local …
Food safety and standards in Scotland. Independent public body with similar remit to FSA but for Scotland specifically. Administers Food Hygiene Information …
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, environment and economy. Issues export health certificates, manages disease outbreaks, operates veterinary …
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Browse legislation
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Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.