Food supply chain, DDL reorganizes sanctions and traceability

Interceptions along the supply chain, blocking of vehicles and products, platform for buffalo mozzarella. Extraordinary controls on milk. Regulation of CAA. Control room at Masaf.

Announced by Minister Francesco Lollobrigida during the Made in Italy Day at the Ministry of Health, the bill introducing sanctions provisions in the field of agriculture and fishing has been approved by the Council of Ministers. The measure also bears the signature of the Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio.

Reorganization of crimes

The bill intervenes on the current legislation on product traceability and on the control system in the food sector.
The aim is to combat counterfeiting and fraud in the agri-food sector, with changes to the sanctioned conduct and with increased sanctions.

The aim is thus to "safeguard consumer confidence in access to foods of high and undisputed quality and typicality and to guarantee transparency and competition in the agri-food market".

The measure also contains provisions for the reorganisation of marine fishing .
The bill establishes the “ Control Room for Administrative Controls in the Agri-food Sector” at Masaf.

We introduce:

• new types of crime to intercept criminal conduct along the entire supply chain, from production to distribution of products;
• provisions aimed at allowing the allocation of confiscated foodstuffs subject to rapid deterioration for charitable purposes.

And we intervene:

• on the discipline of investigations, allowing the inspection of items without prior notice to the defense, where it is necessary to take a sample urgently;
• on wiretapping , also including the new crimes of "food fraud and trade in food with false markings", as well as on "undercover operations".

Platform for the traceability of buffalo mozzarella

The bill establishes a new platform for recording movements of buffalo milk and its derivatives, in which the subjects of the buffalo supply chain - i.e. breeders, processors and intermediaries of buffalo milk - must enter on a daily basis the data relating to the production, processing and marketing of buffalo milk and the products obtained from it, as well as the quantities of buffalo milk or derivatives coming from EU and non-EU countries.

Mozzarella from Campania DOP

Penalties are foreseen in terms of traceability of agri-food products and for the violation of the production standards of mozzarella di bufala campana DOP. The penalties are graduated and can be increased in case of violations committed by medium and large companies and reduced in case of violations committed by micro-enterprises.

Milk and dairy products

Masaf will issue an “Extraordinary National Control Plan” to ensure compliance with the rules on traceability of milk and DOP or IGT dairy products

Ban on protected designation

The possibility of adopting a precautionary measure of a prohibitive nature is introduced: the administration can prohibit the defaulting party, as a precautionary measure and until the adoption of the definitive provision, from using the protected name.

Temporary official block

The "temporary official block" of products and technical means of production is introduced, if formal documentary violations are detected that do not pose a risk to human health.
The block allows the inspection bodies to block the goods pending the necessary checks to evaluate whether or not the products comply with the standards.

Prohibition of CAA creation and new administrative offences

Authorized Agricultural Assistance Centers (CAA) may not be established by entities that, in the six months prior to the request for authorization to establish one, have participated in the shareholder structure of a different CAA whose authorization has been revoked.

New administrative offences are introduced, which are associated with sanctions of varying degrees, in the cases in which the CAA:

• request, in any form, undue remuneration or compensation for services to be provided to agricultural businesses by virtue of agreements
• agree to provide services to agricultural businesses having their registered offices outside their territorial area of operation.

AGEA

The Agency for Agricultural Payments is identified as the competent authority to receive the mandatory report in the event that the payment has not been made, which is entitled to the sums collected as a penalty for subsequent devolution to the CAA. (Source: https://www.anmvioggi.it/ )