Food testing is essential to guarantee food safety and ensure that products on the EU Single Market meet the highest standards of quality and compliance. Accredited food testing laboratories play a central role in protecting public health, verifying regulatory compliance, and supporting the competitiveness of the European food industry.
However, laboratories face growing challenges when it comes to the import of food samples for testing. Inconsistent and unpredictable national rules create delays, raise costs, and drive testing activities outside the EU. This undermines both the resilience of the food supply chain and the competitiveness of EU-based laboratories.
TIC Council calls for a simplified and harmonised system that builds on the strong guarantees of National Accreditation Bodies (NABs). By granting a general exemption for accredited laboratories, the EU can reduce administrative burden, improve legal certainty, and keep testing within Europe.
This reform would ensure that:
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