Legal defence in administrative and judicial proceedings

Food safety requirements

The food safety requirements established in the regulations cover all stages of food production, processing and distribution, and directly affect operators in their legal relations with public administrations and third parties. On the one hand, there are registration or notification requirements for various activities in the food chain and for placing certain foods on the market. The competent authorities also perform official control functions to ensure operators’ compliance with food law. These include inspection and surveillance of food activities and sanctioning of possible infringements. On the other hand, food law infringements may also have an impact on operators’ relations with their suppliers and customers. They may be subject to claims for damages arising from their activity and breach of their contractual obligations.