Law No. LP50/2013 “On official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules.”

This Law establishes the general rules regarding the manner of performing controls in order to verify compliance with the rules regarding: (a) prevention, elimination or reduction to acceptable levels of risks for human and animal health, either directly or through environmental conditions; and (b) ensuring fair practices in the trade in animal feed and food products and protecting the interests of consumers, including the labelling of animal feed and food products and other forms of consumer information. Carrying out official controls under this Law does not affect the primary legal responsibility that operators in the field of animal feed and in the food sector have to ensure the safety of animal feed and food products in accordance with the legislation in the field and no responsibility civil or criminal arising from non-compliance with their obligations. This law does not regulate feed for animals used in smallholding households. The National Agency for Food Safety carries out official controls regularly, depending on the risks and with an appropriate periodicity, in order to achieve the objectives of this Law and taking into account: (a) identified risks associated with animal feed, food products or animals, enterprises operating in the field of animal feed or in the food sector, the use of animal feed, food or any process, material, substance, activity or operation that could influence safety of animal feed, food products, animal health and welfare; (b) the antecedents of operators in the field of animal feed and in the food sector regarding compliance with the requirements regarding animal feed, food products and the rules regarding animal health and welfare; (c) the reliability of any of its own controls that have already been carried out; and (d) any information indicating non-compliance. Official controls are carried out without prior information, with the exception of cases such as the audit, which requires the prior notification of operators in the field of animal feed and in the food sector. Official controls are carried out on the entire food chain. These include controls of businesses facilities operating in the field of animal feed and in the food sector, controls on the use and storage of animal feed and food products and controls on any process, material or substance, activity or operation, including transport applied to animal feed and food products and live animals, necessary to achieve the objectives of this Law. This Law contains X Chapters divided into 31 Articles. Chapter I lays down general provisions. Chapter II establishes obligations and competences in the process of the performance of official controls. Chapter III regards sampling and analysis. Chapter IV regards crisis management. Chapter V regards official control over import of animal feedstuffs and foodstuffs. Chapter V (1) official registration and sanitary and veterinary authorization for animal feedstuffs and foodstuffs enterprises. Chapter VI regards financing of official controls. Chapter VII regards control plan. Chapter VIII establishes import terms and conditions. Chapter IX establishes coercive measures. Chapter X lays down final provisions.