The Food Safety and Veterinary Institute (FSVI) is under the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration. FSVI is a national reference centre and laboratory that carries out scientific research and application activities in areas of animal health and food quality, foodstuff residues, veterinary products registration and plant protection.

FSVI serves as a reference centre with the following tasks:

• Confirms diagnoses performed in other laboratories
• Standardises methods of analysis
• Uses and disseminates official methods of analysis
• Organises training courses for specialists in other laboratories
• Supplies other laboratories with new regulations and everything related to the field of research
• Collaborates with reference centres of the European Community
• Provides MARDWA with assistance and scientific laboratory information and suggests further measures to be taken in the field for issues that arise regarding the scope of FSVI.

FSVI implements the quality management system based on the ISO 17025:2005 standard and has been approved for six tests by the General Accreditation Directory and by a foreign accreditation body (Accredia – national accreditation in Italy). The Department of Animal Health in the FSVI comprises six sectors: Bacteriology, Virology, Parasitology, Mycology, Veterinary Epidemiology and the Sector for Veterinary Medical Products. The Sector for the Production of Vaccines and Bio-products is also a part of this institute.