BAVG Annual Report
The Federal Office of Consumer Health (BAVG) is the competent authority for the import control of foodstuffs, goods and animals from third countries for commercial purposes, as well as those of private individuals. These controls are carried out at the Austrian border inspection posts by border veterinarians and official control bodies in cooperation with the customs authorities. The BAVG also issues company export licenses and issues official certificates for company or private purposes when food, certain goods or animals are exported to third countries. In the case of internet controls, the BAVG checks all internet providers of goods whose registered office is located outside Austria, in the European internal market or in a third country and who offer their goods for sale in Austria.
2023
In 2023, a total of 1,913 clearances of consignments from third countries were carried out at the Austrian border inspection posts and checked for import into the EU. Details on the individual product groups can be found in the following charts and in the 2023 Food Safety Report. 72 meat plants and 33 dairy plants (on-site inspections) were inspected for exports. In addition, 43 remote inspections (online audit) were carried out, 27 of which focused on document checks in connection with China approvals. Three audits by third countries took place in 2023. 341 official certificates were also issued. Cooperation with the Austrian Institute for Applied Telecommunications, ÖIAT, (consumer protection on the internet) serves to strengthen expertise in the area of internet inspections and has also been established for AGES product warnings on behalf of the Ministry of Health(BMSGPK). A priority control in the food sector ("Beware of online purchases of cosmetics with banned fragrances") has already been communicated in cooperation with "Watchlist Internet". On behalf of the BMSGPK, a priority control on African swine fever was coordinated with the Ministry of Finance (BMF/Customs Austria).
A total of 2,020 import inspections were carried out in 2022; for details on the product groups, see the charts below and in the 2022 Food Safety Report (Import inspections, page 50). For exports, 40 meat and 26 dairy companies (on-site inspections) were inspected and 14 remote inspections (online audits) were carried out as part of a focus campaign for Japan. In addition, 407 official certificates were issued. In 2022, the Austrian Customs Office (ZAÖ) and the BAVG concluded a cooperation agreement for close collaboration at a strategic level. The cooperation improves mutual support in operational enforcement and the exchange of expertise in terms of food safety and protection against animal diseases. Illegal bamboo fiber products were discovered and withdrawn from the market during a first Europe-wide Internet inspection campaign (Bamboo-zling). The search was for plastic materials intended to come into contact with food and containing bamboo fibers, which is not permitted within the EU. The EU-coordinated control campaigns were successfully carried out with the cooperation of the BAVG, the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK), the federal provinces and the AGES Competence Center Food Chain.
| Product | 2022 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total samples | Not corresponding samples | Total samples | Non-matching samples | |
| Fruit | 9 | 2 | 13 | 2 |
| Vegetables | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cereals, grains, nuts, oilseeds | 25 | 8 | 29 | 2 |
| Herbs and teas | 7 | 2 | 10 | 2 |
| Liquid products | 8 | 0 | 9 | 2 * |
| Other | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 51 | 12 | 63 | 8 |
* In one consignment, both lots were sampled. Analytical evidence was found in both samples.
Export / Export
The BAVG is the competent authority for issuing and maintaining company export licenses as well as issuing official certificates for company or private purposes if foodstuffs, certain goods or animals are exported to third countries that are subject to the Foodstuffs and Consumer Protection Act. In addition to the European regulations, the import regulations of the destination country must also be complied with. In order to ensure that Austrian food businesses with a valid export authorization comply with the requirements of the respective third countries, the BAVG inspection bodies carry out regular inspections of Austrian food businesses on the basis of a risk-based inspection plan. Depending on the requirements of the respective third country, comprehensive inspections of production facilities, processes and procedures to ensure food safety and quality, which exceed the respective requirements of intra-Community trade, are carried out. The inspections carried out serve to ensure that Austrian food businesses meet the requirements of the destination country.
Internet control
In order to ensure a high level of consumer protection, e-commerce is subject to the same legal requirements as "regular" bricks-and-mortar retail and is subject to risk-based official monitoring. As part of its responsibilities as an authority, the BAVG is responsible for monitoring the legal requirements of online trade in everyday consumer goods (e.g. cosmetics, toys), which are subject to the Foodstuffs and Consumer Protection Act. This activity takes place in a targeted manner on the basis of an official control structure and includes the official control of all providers of goods that are offered for sale in Austria via the Internet or other distance selling channels from contracting states of the EU, EEA states or third countries. In contrast to the competence of the BAVG, the official control competence for online trade by Austrian providers remains with the competent provincial authority (provincial governor).