What are the tasks of the BAES?
The Federal Office for Food Safety was founded as an authority by the GESG. The main tasks are the approval and certification as well as control and monitoring of the placing on the market of agricultural inputs in accordance with the Seed Act, the Plant Material Act, the Plant Variety Protection Act, the Plant Protection Products Act, the Plant Protection Act, the Feedstuffs Act, the Fertilizer Act and the Marketing Standards Act, as well as the monitoring of testing laboratories in accordance with § 52 of the Chemicals Act and applicable legal bases for illegal fishing. BAES plays the role of risk manager. This means that facts from the aforementioned materials (see laws) are assessed on the basis of scientific expert opinions for the protection of humans, animals and plants and are submitted to official decisions. Decisions are made objectively and independently.
Technical Notifications
- 12February2025
Marketing standards: Authorization of companies in the context of conformity checks on exports of fresh fruit and vegetables
As the competent authority, the Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES) can authorize companies to carry out independent conformity checks on the export of fresh fruit and vegetables.
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- 27January2025
Plant protection products: Notification of active substances and quantities for the 2024 reporting year
The forms available for reporting plant protection product active substances and quantities have been revised and updated with the approval data for the 2024 reporting year.
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- 21January2025
GMO-free seeds: New monitoring report and new testing requirements
The testing requirements for seed with regard to new GM events have been adjusted. Maize parent lots used in seed production in 2025 and the seed lots produced from them must have been tested in accordance with the provisions listed on the website of the Federal Office for Food Safety. The new GMO monitoring report on the avoidance of GMO contamination in Austrian seed production has been published.
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- 17January2025
"Werewolf syndrome": No reports to date regarding chews for dogs
The BAES has not yet received any reports in Austria regarding various neurological symptoms in dogs in connection with certain chewing articles made from bovine hide.
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- 09January2025
New EU regulations on marketing standards come into force on 1.1.2025, including innovations to combat food waste
New simplified regulations for marketing standards have applied to fruit and vegetables and bananas since January 1, 2025. The changes relate in particular to better consumer information, the reduction of food waste and adjustments to UNECE standards.
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- 10December2024
Plant protection products: time of cultivation determines indication
The Federal Office informs crop advisors about changes in cultivation methods regarding fall cultivation, which raise new questions regarding the indication of plant protection products: There are no technical or legal objections that plant protection products for use in winter cereals may also be used on spring cereals if they are sown in the fall.
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- 19September2024
Information on feed safety in flood areas
Due to the current flood situation, BAES, in coordination with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, AGES, provides information on feed safety in flood areas.
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- 10September2024
Publication of the harmonized risk indicators in accordance with Directive (EU) 2019/782
The harmonized risk indicators are intended to show trends in the reduction of risks due to the use of plant protection products in both integrated and organic farming.
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- 02August2024
Plants are not vacation souvenirs! Help to avoid bringing in dangerous plant diseases or pests
Ideally, travelers should check with the Official Plant Protection Service before their vacation or before returning to Austria or the EU before taking a plant souvenir home with them. Strict phytosanitary regulations apply to the import of live plants and seeds as well as fresh plant products such as cut flowers, vegetables and fruit.
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- 25July2024
Plant protection products: New features for eServices applicants
With its eServices, the BAES offers applicants the opportunity to simplify communication for authorization, modification and renewal procedures for plant protection products as well as for active substance approvals and renewals.
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