Food safety and consumer protection face major challenges in Europe, especially when it comes to counterfeiting or the illegal import of products and monitoring the rapidly increasing trade via the internet. In order to strengthen monitoring and the exchange of expertise in these areas, the BAVG, together with the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), agreed to co-operate with the Hamburg Authority for Justice and Consumer Protection (BJV). In addition to the established EU authority information systems and databases, close professional and personal cooperation and the rapid exchange of information between all authorities and agencies involved is key to the success of consumer protection.

Susanne Friederichs, Head of Office at the Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection: "In Europe, we live in a common market. The production and trade of food and other consumer goods crosses national borders, which is why consumer protection must also be cross-border. We are not only pleased about corresponding cooperation with other enforcement authorities, but also consider this cooperation to be absolutely essential in terms of effective consumer protection. Not only in times of online trade can the monitoring of a business in Hamburg also mean consumer protection in Austria and vice versa. We are therefore very pleased that we can further intensify our cooperation with our colleagues from the BAVG and AGES with this agreement. The signing of the cooperation agreement is an important step for consumer protection."

Anton Reinl, Director of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Managing Director of AGES: "Hamburg was and is one of the major gateways to Europe for goods from all over the world. The close cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection, the Federal Office of Consumer Health and AGES represents an absolute added value for German and Austrian consumers, especially in the area of food safety and monitoring as well as in the area of import controls. During the reciprocal visits by representatives of the authorities from both countries, best practice examples of efficient controls have already been exchanged and current challenges discussed."

The aim of the cooperation between the three consumer protection organisations in Hamburg and Austria is the mutual exchange of information and knowledge in overlapping activities and in supporting events or other initiatives such as the fight against food waste. Close operational cooperation is also sought in the control of online trade. This includes, in particular, an exchange in cross-border cases as well as mutual support in communication with corresponding online platforms and other monitoring and prosecution bodies. The agreement serves to provide mutual support in operational enforcement and the exchange of expertise. The cooperation improves food safety, protection against animal diseases and consumer protection, in particular through the joint monitoring of online trade. Close cooperation is to take place in the following areas:

- Official cooperation and coordination in the area of official controls on animals and goods entering the European Union,
- Coordination and exchange of information in the monitoring of online trade,
- Coordination and exchange of information to combat fraudulent and/or misleading behaviour,
- Mutual support in the organisation and organisation of online trade.Mutual support in the organisation and implementation of internal audits,
- Mutual support in the designation or auditing of official laboratories,
- Coordination and exchange of information to combat food waste and ensure food safety.

"Working together, complementing each other and exchanging expertise are the basic ideas behind this important cooperation, which will help to fulfil the respective tasks in the best possible way. Both sides will benefit in their daily work and so will consumers in Germany and Austria," said Friederichs and Reinl on the occasion of the cooperation: "We look forward to a steadily growing cooperation."