The Official Controls (Animals, Feed and Food, Plant Health Fees etc.) Regulations 2019.

The Regulations implement and enforce Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls and other official activities concerning food and feed law, animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products. They apply principally to England, with certain provisions extending more broadly within the United Kingdom in relation to organic production and labelling, protected designations of origin, protected geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed. The Regulations establish the competent and designated authorities responsible for official controls, including the Food Standards Agency in relation to certain animal welfare functions and the Secretary of State in other relevant areas. They require designated authorities to keep written records of official controls and other official activities, including the purpose, methods, outcome and any required action, and to notify business operators promptly where non-compliance is identified. The instrument also provides for information exchange between authorities, audit powers, administrative assistance and cooperation, recovery of enforcement expenses, and enforcement powers allowing officers to inspect premises, records, equipment, plants, articles and computer data where necessary for the application of the official controls framework. The Regulations create offences for obstructing auditors, inspectors or enforcement officers, failing to provide records or information, and supplying materially false or misleading information, with penalties on summary conviction. They also make amendments to legislation concerning animal diseases, animal welfare, veterinary medicines, aquatic animal health, trade in animals and animal products, protected agricultural product quality schemes, carcase classification, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and plant health fees. These amendments update domestic references and procedures in line with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and the EU plant-health regime, including provisions on border control posts, import documentation, detention, quarantine, destruction, re-dispatch, intensified official controls, phytosanitary certificates, wood packaging material authorisations and plant health export fees.