Difference between revisions of "Czechia:Czechia"

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The Food Safety and Consumer Protection Act is the central legal foundation for food legislation in Austria. Infringement of food regulations can lead to measures under criminal law and consumer damage claims under civil law, whereby the final decision rests with the courts. Government measures with regard to food safety are often based on scientific risk assessments. However, the final decision on the legality of governmental measures rests with the courts.
Last updated on 12 January 2024.
{{#drawio:Czech Republic|max-width=650px}}
<small>''*'' Host institution of the national EFSA Focal Point. For information on the EFSA Focal Point network, please see the [https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/partnersnetworks/eumembers#focal-points-eu-food-safety-interfaces EFSA website].</small>


In Austria, risk assessment and risk management are largely institutionally separated. Risk assessments are published on the Internet.
''© worldfoodsafetyalmanac.bfr.berlin''


== Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection ==
 
Act No. 110/1997 Coll. on food and tobacco products, as amended, is the central legal foundation for food legislation in the Czech Republic. [https://www.bezpecnostpotravin.cz/UserFiles/publikace1/Strategie_EN_web.pdf The Food Safety and Nutrition Strategy 2030] is a key document of the Czech Republic in the field of food safety and nutrition.
 
Infringement of food regulations can lead to measures under criminal law and consumer damage claims under civil law, whereby the final decision rests with the courts. Government measures with regard to food safety are often based on scientific risk assessments. However, the final decision on the legality of governmental measures rests with the courts.
 
In the Czech Republic, there is no institutional separation of risk assessment and risk management, however there is a procedural separation of risk assessment and risk management. Risk assessments are published on the Internet unless there are statutory provisions that prohibit it.
 
 
== Ministry of Agriculture ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
|Ministry of Agriculture
|-
!Acronym
|MZE
|-
!Activities
|
*Risk assessment
*Risk communication
*Risk management
*Codex Contact Point
*EFSA Focal Point
|-
!Responsibilities
|[[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:AnimalHealth.png|Animal health and welfare|link=Animal health and welfare|25px]] [[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risks|link=Emerging risks|25px]] [[File:Environment.png|Environmental risk assessment|link=Environmental risk assessment|25px]] [[File:FoodIngredients.png|Food ingredients|link=Food ingredients|25px]] [[File:FoodSupplements.png|Food supplements|link=Food supplements|25px]] [[File:MineralWater.png|Mineral water|link=Mineral water|25px]] [[File:Nanotechnology.png|Nanotechnology|link=Nanotechnology|25px]] [[File:NovelFood.png|Novel foods|link=Novel foods|25px]] [[File:Nutrition.png|Nutrition|link=Nutrition|25px]] [[File:PlantHealth.png|Plant health|link=Plant health|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]
|-
!Location
|Prague
|-
!URL
|http://eagri.cz/public/web/en/mze/
|}
 
The Ministry of Agriculture (MZE) deals with agricultural policy and food safety in the Czech Republic. It is responsible for foods of animal and plant origin as well as for state food inspections.
 
The portfolio of MZE also includes food (including food used in catering services) and feed, animal welfare and health, veterinary medicinal products, plant protection products and their residues, contaminants, drinking water, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), novel foods, food additives, enzymes and aromas, food supplements and food labelling, fortification of food, and nutrition and health claims.
 
MZE is also responsible for all agricultural commodities issues and organic farming.
 
Risk communication is another main area of MZE’s remit. The Food Safety Information Centre was set up to provide information, accessible to the general public, on all aspects of food safety (“from farm to fork”).
 
Competent authorities subordinate to MZE (SZPI, SVS, UKZUZ) play a main role in putting MZE's policies into effect and implementing official controls.
 
Scientific advice is provided to MZE by scientific committees:
*Veterinary Scientific Committee
*Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition
*Scientific Committee on GMO Food and Feed
*Phytosanitary and Environmental Scientific Committee.
 
Some National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 are attached organisations which are within the portfolio of MZE.
 
== Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
|Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority
|-
!Acronym
|SZPI
|-
!Activities
|
*Risk communication
*Risk management
*RASFF contact point
|-
!Responsibilities
|[[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:FoodContactMaterials.png|Food contact materials and packaging|link=Food contact materials and packaging|25px]] [[File:FoodIngredients.png|Food ingredients|link=Food ingredients|25px]] [[File:FoodSupplements.png|Food supplements|link=Food supplements|25px]] [[File:NovelFood.png|Novel foods|link=Novel foods|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]
|-
!Location
|Brno
|-
!URL
|https://www.szpi.gov.cz/en/default.aspx
|}
 
Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) is a state authority responsible for supervising the safety, quality and labelling of foodstuffs. Within its remit, SZPI inspects foodstuffs, raw materials for their production as well as agricultural and tobacco products. The above-mentioned responsibilities apply to production, storage, transport, and sale (including import).
 
Risk communication is another task of SZPI, which informs consumers about poor-quality, adulterated or unsafe food identified during the official inspections.
 
SZPI is also the national contact point for RASFF.
 
Five National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 are attached to SZPI.
 
== State Veterinary Administration ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Name
|Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
|State Veterinary Administration
|-
|-
!Acronym
!Acronym
|BMSGPK
|SVS
|-
|-
!Activities
!Activities
|
|
*Health policy, food safety
*Risk communication
*Consumer protection
*Risk management
*Risk management, risk communication
|-
|-
!Responsibilities
!Responsibilities
|[[File:AnimalHealth.png|Animal health and welfare|link=Animal health and welfare|25px]] [[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risk|link=Emerging risk|25px]] [[File:FoodContactMaterials.png|Food contact materials and packaging|link=Food contact materials and packaging|25px]] [[File:FoodIngredients.png|Food ingredients|link=Food ingredients|25px]] [[File:FoodSupplements.png|Food supplements|link=Food supplements|25px]] [[File:MineralWater.png|Mineral water|link=Mineral water|25px]] [[File:Nanotechnology.png|Nanotechnology|link=Nanotechnology|25px]] [[File:NovelFood.png|Novel foods|link=Novel foods|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]
|[[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:AnimalHealth.png|Animal health and welfare|link=Animal health and welfare|25px]] [[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risks|link=Emerging risks|25px]] [[File:FoodIngredients.png|Food ingredients|link=Food ingredients|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]
|-
|-
!Location
!Location
|Vienna
|Prague
|-
|-
!URL
!URL
|https://www.sozialministerium.at/en
|https://en.svscr.cz/
|}
|}


The Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK) prepares draft legislation in the field of food safety based on scientific risk assessments conducted by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). The BMSGPK is responsible for the coordination of state food inspections and can issue national regulations in the area of food safety.
The purpose of the State Veterinary Administration (SVS) is primarily the protection of consumers from products of animal origin likely to be harmful to human health, monitoring the animal health situation and maintaining it in a favourable manner, veterinary protection the state territory of the Czech Republic, animal welfare and animal protection.


The BMSGPK’s portfolio includes food, novel foods, food supplements, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), zoonoses, mineral water, drinking water, residues of plant protection products and veterinary drugs, medical devices and medicinal products. Furthermore, the BMSGPK is responsible for approving pilot studies with regard to the cultivation of genetically modified plants. It is also responsible for approving the use of GMOs in conjunction with food and feed.
Risk communication is also a task of SVS.


The remit of the BMSGPK extends beyond food safety to include animal health and animal welfare, for example.
Another important task of SVS is to ensure the veterinary laboratory diagnostics which is carried out by three state veterinary institutes (SVU) in Jihlava, Olomouc and Prague.


== Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism ==
33 National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 2017/625 are attached to these state veterinary institutes.
 
== Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Name
|Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism
|Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture
|-
|-
!Acronym
!Acronym
|BMLRT
|UKZUZ
|-
|-
!Activities
!Activities
|
|
*Agricultural policy, food and feed safety
*Risk communication
*Risk management and communication
*Risk management
*Codex Contact Point
*Risk assessment
|-
|-
!Responsibilities
!Responsibilities
|[[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:PlantHealth.png|Plant health|link=Plant health|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]]
|[[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risks|link=Emerging risks|25px]] [[File:Environment.png|Environmental risk assessment|link=Environmental risk assessment|25px]] [[File:PlantHealth.png|Plant health|link=Plant health|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]
|-
|-
!Location
!Location
|Vienna
|Brno
|-
|-
!URL
!URL
|https://www.bmlrt.gv.at/english/
|http://eagri.cz/public/web/en/ukzuz/portal/
|}
|}


The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (BMLRT) is responsible for agricultural policy and food safety during primary food production. It prepares draft legislation in the field of feed and groundwater based on scientific risk assessments conducted by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). The BMLRT is authorised to issue national regulations with regard to feed and groundwater.
Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture (UKZUZ) performs administrative tasks and carries out other administrative activities, expert and testing tasks, and control and monitoring activities in accordance with special acts in the areas of plant variety testing, feed-stuffs, agrochemical testing of soils, soils and plant nutrition, seeds and seedlings of the grown plants, perennial plants (viniculture and hops), protection against harmful organisms, and plant protection.


The work of the BMLRT is supported by the Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES). The BMLRT’s area of work extends beyond the field of food safety to include plant health and plant protection.
Nine National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 are attached to UKZUZ.


== Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety ==
== Ministry of Health ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Name
|Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
|Ministry of Health
|-
|-
!Acronym
!Acronym
|AGES
|MZ
|-
|-
!Activities
!Activities
Line 73: Line 160:
*Risk assessment
*Risk assessment
*Risk communication
*Risk communication
*EFSA Focal Point
*Risk management
*RASFF contact point
*Food hygiene
*Research
|-
|-
!Responsibilities
!Responsibilities
|[[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:AnimalHealth.png|Animal health and welfare|link=Animal health and welfare|25px]] [[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risk|link=Emerging risk|25px]] [[File:FoodContactMaterials.png|Food contact materials and packaging|link=Food contact materials and packaging|25px]] [[File:FoodIngredients.png|Food ingredients|link=Food ingredients|25px]] [[File:FoodSupplements.png|Food supplements|link=Food supplements|25px]] [[File:MineralWater.png|Mineral water|link=Mineral water|25px]] [[File:NovelFood.png|Novel foods|link=Novel foods|25px]] [[File:Nutrition.png|Nutrition|link=Nutrition|25px]] [[File:PlantHealth.png|Plant health|link=Plant health|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]
|[[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risks|link=Emerging risks|25px]] [[File:FoodContactMaterials.png|Food contact materials and packaging|link=Food contact materials and packaging|25px]] [[File:MineralWater.png|Mineral water|link=Mineral water|25px]] [[File:Nanotechnology.png|Nanotechnology|link=Nanotechnology|25px]] [[File:Nutrition.png|Nutrition|link=Nutrition|25px]]
|-
|-
!Location
!Location
|Vienna
|Prague
|-
|-
!URL
!URL
|http://www.ages.at/en/
|https://www.mzcr.cz/en/the-ministry-of-health/
|}
|}


The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) is a limited liability company (GmbH) owned by the BMSGPK and BMLRT. AGES has a mandate from the Republic of Austria to prepare scientific risk assessments and conduct transparent risk communication with the public at large, scientists and other interested or involved groups. Independent of any scientific, political or social interests AGES prepares scientific risk assessments, identifies new health risks and prepares recommendations for risk reduction. AGES risk assessments are used by the BMSGPK and the BMLRT and by local authorities as the foundation for their management measures.
The Ministry of Health (MZ) deals with public health protection and food safety in the Czech Republic. The portfolio of MZ includes food contact materials, contaminants, mineral water and plant protection products and their residues. MZ is also responsible for food for special medical purposes, infant formula and follow-on formula, processed cereal-based food, baby food, total diet replacement for weight control, and microbiological criteria.


AGES’ remit includes food and feed safety, novel foods, food supplements, GMOs, zoonoses, mineral water, residues of plant protection products and veterinary medicinal products. AGES is also active in the fields of animal health, plant health, plant protection, soil health, fertilisers, seeds, bee health, radiation protection, medicines and medical devices. AGES is also involved in active research. AGES has scientific analytical laboratory facilities for all of its areas of activity.
MZ is the national competent authority for the surveillance of communicable diseases, including food and water borne diseases, and specifies requirements for irradiated foods (including dose limits).


There are 60 National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 625/2017 and reference laboratories in the fields of veterinary medicine and human medicine attached to AGES.
MZ (together with MZE) shares the responsibility for establishing limits for residues of veterinary medicines in foodstuffs.


The regulatory authority for veterinary drugs is assigned to the Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG). The BASG is also an authority within the organisational structure of AGES. The BASG issues and monitors the market authorisation of medicinal products and other medical devices.
The inspection competency of MZ is restricted to food contact materials, food hygiene and, more particularly, the catering trade. The relevant competent authorities are the public health authorities (OOVZ).


== Federal Office for Food Safety ==
Some National Reference Laboratories are attached to MZ.
 
== National Institute of Public Health ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Name
|Federal Office for Food Safety
|National Institute of Public Health
|-
|-
!Acronym
!Acronym
|BAES
|SZU
|-
|-
!Activities
!Activities
|
|
*Risk management
*Risk assessment
*Risk communication
|-
|-
!Responsibilities
!Responsibilities
|[[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:PlantHealth.png|Plant health|link=Plant health|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]]
|[[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risks|link=Emerging risks|25px]] [[File:Environment.png|Environmental risk assessment|link=Environmental risk assessment|25px]] [[File:FoodContactMaterials.png|Food contact materials and packaging|link=Food contact materials and packaging|25px]] [[File:FoodSupplements.png|Food supplements|link=Food supplements|25px]] [[File:MineralWater.png|Mineral water|link=Mineral water|25px]] [[File:Nanotechnology.png|Nanotechnology|link=Nanotechnology|25px]] [[File:Nutrition.png|Nutrition|link=Nutrition|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]]
|-
|-
!Location
!Location
|Vienna
|Prague
|-
|-
!URL
!URL
|http://www.baes.gv.at/en/
|http://www.szu.cz/index.php?lang=2
|}
|}


The Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES) was established by the Austrian Health and Food Safety Act. It is associated with AGES. AGES provides the BAES with the manpower and the infrastructure needed to execute its sovereign functions as a federal authority. The BAES is responsible for the coordination and implementation of state inspections of animal feed. It is also the regulatory authority for plant protection products. The area of work of the BAES extends beyond the field of animal feed to include plant health.
The main activities of National Institute of Public Health (SZU) comprise science and research, reference and methodological advice, providing expert opinions on the health safety of various products (including food supplements and items of daily use), systematic monitoring of the environmental impact on population health in the Czech Republic, and promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition.
 
Human health risk assessments are provided by SZU – food and food contact materials.
 
SZU provides MZ with a scientific background, namely expert opinions, scientific advice and assessments concerning human health risks.


== Regional and local levels ==
== Regional and local levels ==


Austria consists of nine federal states which are divided into 117 districts. Each district is further subdivided into several municipalities. Depending on the distribution of statutory competencies, the responsibility for the implementation of food inspections is held by federal authorities or regional authorities of the nine federal states.
The Czech Republic consists of 14 regions which are further subdivided into districts.
 
Food and feed inspections are the responsibility of the regions. In all 14 regions, there are regional SVS and OOVZ offices. In seven regions, there are regional SZPI and UKZUZ offices.


The BMSGPK has transferred the coordination and implementation of federal inspections for all aspects of food safety to the federal states of Austria (food safety inspections are conducted at a regional and local level).
Animal welfare is the responsibility of the municipalities, i.e. to inspect, take measures and deal with infringements. SVS ensures the implementation of control activities.


In contrast, the coordination and implementation of animal feed inspections is not delegated to the federal states, it is responsibility of the BAES (national level).
== Article 36 institutions ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"  
!Institutions involved in the EFSA network pursuant to Article 36 Reg. (EC) No. 178/2002
! Institutions involved in the EFSA network pursuant to Article 36 Reg. (EC) No. 178/2002
|-
|-
|
|
#Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit GmbH, AGES) (EFSA Focal Point)
#[https://eagri.cz/public/portal/en Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic] (EFSA Focal Point)
#Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt GmbH)
#[https://mendelu.cz/en/ Mendel University in Brno]
#University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, BOKU)
#[https://szu.cz/ National Institute of Public Health]
#University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Universität für Veterinärmedizin)
#[https://www.vri.cz/en/900-2/ Veterinary Research Institute]
#Medical University of Graz (Medizinische Universität)
#[https://www.vurv.cz/en/ Crop Research Institute]
#Graz University of Technology (Technische Universität Graz)
#[https://vuzv.cz/en/ Institute of Animal Science]
#[https://www.czu.cz/en Czech University of Life Sciences Prague]
#[https://www.vupp.cz/en/ Food Research Institute Prague]
#[https://www.bc.cas.cz/en/homepage/ Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences]
#[https://www.vscht.cz/?jazyk=en University of Chemistry and Technology Prague]
#[https://www.vetuni.cz/about-university University of Veterinary Sciences Brno]
#[https://www.jcu.cz/en/ University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice]
#[https://www.osu.eu/ University of Ostrava]
#[https://www.svujihlava.cz/ State Veterinary Institute Jihlava]
|}
|}

Latest revision as of 15:43, 12 January 2024

Last updated on 12 January 2024.

drawio: Czech Republic

* Host institution of the national EFSA Focal Point. For information on the EFSA Focal Point network, please see the EFSA website.

© worldfoodsafetyalmanac.bfr.berlin


Act No. 110/1997 Coll. on food and tobacco products, as amended, is the central legal foundation for food legislation in the Czech Republic. The Food Safety and Nutrition Strategy 2030 is a key document of the Czech Republic in the field of food safety and nutrition.

Infringement of food regulations can lead to measures under criminal law and consumer damage claims under civil law, whereby the final decision rests with the courts. Government measures with regard to food safety are often based on scientific risk assessments. However, the final decision on the legality of governmental measures rests with the courts.

In the Czech Republic, there is no institutional separation of risk assessment and risk management, however there is a procedural separation of risk assessment and risk management. Risk assessments are published on the Internet unless there are statutory provisions that prohibit it.


Ministry of Agriculture

Name Ministry of Agriculture
Acronym MZE
Activities
  • Risk assessment
  • Risk communication
  • Risk management
  • Codex Contact Point
  • EFSA Focal Point
Responsibilities Animal feed Animal health and welfare Biological hazards and zoonoses Biotechnology and genetic engineering Contaminants Drinking water Emerging risks Environmental risk assessment Food ingredients Food supplements Mineral water Nanotechnology Novel foods Nutrition Plant health Plant protection products or pesticides Residues of veterinary medicinal products
Location Prague
URL http://eagri.cz/public/web/en/mze/

The Ministry of Agriculture (MZE) deals with agricultural policy and food safety in the Czech Republic. It is responsible for foods of animal and plant origin as well as for state food inspections.

The portfolio of MZE also includes food (including food used in catering services) and feed, animal welfare and health, veterinary medicinal products, plant protection products and their residues, contaminants, drinking water, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), novel foods, food additives, enzymes and aromas, food supplements and food labelling, fortification of food, and nutrition and health claims.

MZE is also responsible for all agricultural commodities issues and organic farming.

Risk communication is another main area of MZE’s remit. The Food Safety Information Centre was set up to provide information, accessible to the general public, on all aspects of food safety (“from farm to fork”).

Competent authorities subordinate to MZE (SZPI, SVS, UKZUZ) play a main role in putting MZE's policies into effect and implementing official controls.

Scientific advice is provided to MZE by scientific committees:

  • Veterinary Scientific Committee
  • Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition
  • Scientific Committee on GMO Food and Feed
  • Phytosanitary and Environmental Scientific Committee.

Some National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 are attached organisations which are within the portfolio of MZE.

Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority

Name Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority
Acronym SZPI
Activities
  • Risk communication
  • Risk management
  • RASFF contact point
Responsibilities Biological hazards and zoonoses Contaminants Drinking water Food contact materials and packaging Food ingredients Food supplements Novel foods Plant protection products or pesticides Residues of veterinary medicinal products
Location Brno
URL https://www.szpi.gov.cz/en/default.aspx

Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) is a state authority responsible for supervising the safety, quality and labelling of foodstuffs. Within its remit, SZPI inspects foodstuffs, raw materials for their production as well as agricultural and tobacco products. The above-mentioned responsibilities apply to production, storage, transport, and sale (including import).

Risk communication is another task of SZPI, which informs consumers about poor-quality, adulterated or unsafe food identified during the official inspections.

SZPI is also the national contact point for RASFF.

Five National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 are attached to SZPI.

State Veterinary Administration

Name State Veterinary Administration
Acronym SVS
Activities
  • Risk communication
  • Risk management
Responsibilities Animal feed Animal health and welfare Biological hazards and zoonoses Biotechnology and genetic engineering Contaminants Emerging risks Food ingredients Plant protection products or pesticides Residues of veterinary medicinal products
Location Prague
URL https://en.svscr.cz/

The purpose of the State Veterinary Administration (SVS) is primarily the protection of consumers from products of animal origin likely to be harmful to human health, monitoring the animal health situation and maintaining it in a favourable manner, veterinary protection the state territory of the Czech Republic, animal welfare and animal protection.

Risk communication is also a task of SVS.

Another important task of SVS is to ensure the veterinary laboratory diagnostics which is carried out by three state veterinary institutes (SVU) in Jihlava, Olomouc and Prague.

33 National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 2017/625 are attached to these state veterinary institutes.

Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture

Name Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture
Acronym UKZUZ
Activities
  • Risk communication
  • Risk management
  • Risk assessment
Responsibilities Animal feed Biotechnology and genetic engineering Contaminants Emerging risks Environmental risk assessment Plant health Plant protection products or pesticides Residues of veterinary medicinal products
Location Brno
URL http://eagri.cz/public/web/en/ukzuz/portal/

Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture (UKZUZ) performs administrative tasks and carries out other administrative activities, expert and testing tasks, and control and monitoring activities in accordance with special acts in the areas of plant variety testing, feed-stuffs, agrochemical testing of soils, soils and plant nutrition, seeds and seedlings of the grown plants, perennial plants (viniculture and hops), protection against harmful organisms, and plant protection.

Nine National Reference Laboratories pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 are attached to UKZUZ.

Ministry of Health

Name Ministry of Health
Acronym MZ
Activities
  • Risk assessment
  • Risk communication
  • Risk management
  • Food hygiene
Responsibilities Biological hazards and zoonoses Contaminants Drinking water Emerging risks Food contact materials and packaging Mineral water Nanotechnology Nutrition
Location Prague
URL https://www.mzcr.cz/en/the-ministry-of-health/

The Ministry of Health (MZ) deals with public health protection and food safety in the Czech Republic. The portfolio of MZ includes food contact materials, contaminants, mineral water and plant protection products and their residues. MZ is also responsible for food for special medical purposes, infant formula and follow-on formula, processed cereal-based food, baby food, total diet replacement for weight control, and microbiological criteria.

MZ is the national competent authority for the surveillance of communicable diseases, including food and water borne diseases, and specifies requirements for irradiated foods (including dose limits).

MZ (together with MZE) shares the responsibility for establishing limits for residues of veterinary medicines in foodstuffs.

The inspection competency of MZ is restricted to food contact materials, food hygiene and, more particularly, the catering trade. The relevant competent authorities are the public health authorities (OOVZ).

Some National Reference Laboratories are attached to MZ.

National Institute of Public Health

Name National Institute of Public Health
Acronym SZU
Activities
  • Risk assessment
  • Risk communication
Responsibilities Biological hazards and zoonoses Biotechnology and genetic engineering Contaminants Drinking water Emerging risks Environmental risk assessment Food contact materials and packaging Food supplements Mineral water Nanotechnology Nutrition Plant protection products or pesticides
Location Prague
URL http://www.szu.cz/index.php?lang=2

The main activities of National Institute of Public Health (SZU) comprise science and research, reference and methodological advice, providing expert opinions on the health safety of various products (including food supplements and items of daily use), systematic monitoring of the environmental impact on population health in the Czech Republic, and promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition.

Human health risk assessments are provided by SZU – food and food contact materials.

SZU provides MZ with a scientific background, namely expert opinions, scientific advice and assessments concerning human health risks.

Regional and local levels

The Czech Republic consists of 14 regions which are further subdivided into districts.

Food and feed inspections are the responsibility of the regions. In all 14 regions, there are regional SVS and OOVZ offices. In seven regions, there are regional SZPI and UKZUZ offices.

Animal welfare is the responsibility of the municipalities, i.e. to inspect, take measures and deal with infringements. SVS ensures the implementation of control activities.

Article 36 institutions

Institutions involved in the EFSA network pursuant to Article 36 Reg. (EC) No. 178/2002
  1. Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (EFSA Focal Point)
  2. Mendel University in Brno
  3. National Institute of Public Health
  4. Veterinary Research Institute
  5. Crop Research Institute
  6. Institute of Animal Science
  7. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
  8. Food Research Institute Prague
  9. Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences
  10. University of Chemistry and Technology Prague
  11. University of Veterinary Sciences Brno
  12. University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice
  13. University of Ostrava
  14. State Veterinary Institute Jihlava
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