Sitemap

More...

Boris Buden, philosopher and publicist

Student Rebellion the Last Lifeline Above the Abyss

They simply don’t want to repeat the...

H.E. İlhan Saygili, Ambassador of Türkiye to Serbia

The Rules Change With the Circumstances

One of the strongest aspects of our...

Dr Mihailo Jovanović, Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment

Enhancing Services for Citizens and the Economy

Serbia’s digital transformation is accelerating the development...

Prof. Dr Dubravko Ćulibrk, Director of the Research and Development Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Serbia (IVI)

Driving AI Growth through Innovation and Collaboration

The vision of the Institute for Artificial...

CorD Recommends

News

Serbia’s Living Pavilion Blooms in Osaka

At the official opening of Serbia’s pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Commissioner Žarko Malinović stated that Serbia was proud...

Automation, Migration and Labour Shortages – A European Perspective

As Europe grapples with persistent labour shortages across key sectors, new research underscores how both automation and migration have...

Croatia and Serbia’s RETFOR Project

In a bold step towards tackling climate change through cross-border cooperation, the RETFOR project was launched as part of...

China Responds to New US Tariffs with 25% Levy on American Goods

Beijing has announced a 25% tariff on certain imports from the United States, following Washington's decision to impose new...

EU launches Call for private investment in the Western Balkans to drive economic growth and boost EU integration

At the ADRIA Summit 2025 in Montenegro, today the European Union announced a Call for Expressions of Interest to...

Dragana Stikić, Co-President of the FIC Anti-Illicit Trade & Food Committee (Nestlé Adriatic S d.o.o.)

Constructive Cooperation Among All Participants Essential

The food safety system must be improved continuously. Everyone in the supply chain, from primary producers to policymakers, should work on its improvement consistently and uncompromisingly

One significant area for improvement is the harmonising of Serbian legislation with that of the EU, which requires a complete revision of the Food Safety Act to achieve tangible progress. The shortcomings of the current legislative framework hinder full harmonisation, but also the adoption of all relevant regulations and by-laws, due to differences in categorisation, procedures, names of by-laws and similar aspects. This harmonisation is further complicated by the use of different methodological rules for drafting regulations compared to those of the EU.

To improve the control of food in Serbia, we recommend strengthening the administrative capacities of inspection services and reference laboratories, along with the consistent application of risk analysis approaches in official controls. Food control responsibilities are shared between the ministries of health and agriculture, but there are discrepancies in the application of control procedures and a lack of clear guidelines. The transparent defining and consistent application of these responsibilities, along with continuous efforts to improve them, are included in our recommendations. Adoption of the Law on Official Controls, aligned with EU regulations, would contribute significantly to improving this area.

We provide recommendations to create a higher-quality food sector

The successful identification of issues arising from the overlapping of responsibilities between different ministries, and proposals to overcome them, are aimed at improving the business environment for domestic players in the food sector

The FIC Anti-Illicit Trade & Food Committee supports the harmonisation of regulations under Chapter 12, with the aim of protecting consumers, removing trade barriers and facilitating operations in the food industry and trade with the EU. We also recommend revising other regulations to address jurisdictional conflicts that create uncertainty in domestic market operations and foreign trade, such as the Trade Act and the Food Safety Act.

We believe it is necessary to simplify the procedures of control bodies for efficient, proportionate, and clear health protection measures, including the application of the risk analysis model and the centralisation of information. We recommend intensifying the implementation of the action plan to address issues hampering foreign trade and simplifying administrative procedures. Achieving these goals requires constructive cooperation among all participants.

Combating the grey economy in the food supply chain also contributes to safety. Food sold through legal channels is subject to safety controls. There is no information regarding food safety controls in illicit channels. Sanctioning those operating in the grey market also protects the position of those that adhere to regulations. The introduction of excise stamps for coffee has not achieved the desired results, while it has imposed additional costs on registered importers and producers. Consideration should be given to revising the measures in order to redirect costs towards investment and improving food production, with a focus on the enforcement of control and imposing appropriate penalties for those who deliberately break the law.