“Food fraud” concept to be introduced, stricter sanctions planned as well

For the first time in Serbian legislature, the procedures of detecting and penalizing “food fraud” are being regulated, announced the Ministry of Agriculture.

The minister of agriculture, Aleksandar Martinovic, attended the first session of the Coordination Body for Suppression of Shadow Economy of the Government of Serbia. Regarding the activities within the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management envisaged within the Program for Suppression of Shadow Economy 2023-2025, Martinovic said that there were efforts to amend the Law on Food Safety and the Law on Official Controls, as announced on the ministry’s website.

– The draft Law on Official Controls introduces the concept of “food fraud”, whereby, for the first time in Serbian legislature, the procedures of detecting and penalizing such cases are being regulated. This is crucial, because the penalties for fraud related to food that we’ve had so far have been inadequate and have not acted as a sufficient deterrent, and now the sanctions for the violations committed will be stricter. It is our obligation to ensure, through this improved coordination, clearer regulations and better control, that the food market is safe, transparent and in line with the highest standards, and to, at the same time, prevent the shadow economy and protect the interests of consumers and legal producers – said the minister.

Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srbije

Aleksandar Martinović

Law on Food Safety

Law on Official Controls

food fraud