Federal Food Chain Unit (FFCU)
The FFCU supports federal offices in supervising authorities that are responsible for implementation along the food chain. The aim of supervision is to harmonise implementation throughout Switzerland and to guarantee food safety.
The food chain
Many legal frameworks govern the production of a foodstuff from field to fork. The term food chain encompasses a system that covers the entire scope of food law.
Guaranteeing food safety and compliance is a complex task. Switzerland’s federal structure means the task of implementation is spread across various cantonal and federal authorities. This in turn means that many authorities are responsible for implementation and food safety.
Film about food safety controls in Switzerland
Oversight of implementation
The federal government’s oversight concerns all areas of the food chain. It is prescribed by law:
- Art. 42 FoodA Supervision and coordination
- Art. 53 EzDA Powers of the Federal Council
- Art. 40 AniWA Supervision by the federal government
- Art. 179 AgricA General supervision by the Confederation
The Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and the FSVO mandate the FFCU to implement the supervision as follows:
- Develop and implement a risk-based supervisory plan
- Address topics, carry out analyses and publish results
- Share examples of good practice
- Monitor cantonal measures
- Review the effectiveness of measures
The authorities are involved in the planning at an early stage. This ensures transparency and quality.
Independence
Supervisory bodies must be free of financial, political or hierarchical pressure. And supervised authorities must not be able to influence the process or the results.
This independence must be guaranteed and regularly checked. The FFCU is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and undergoes an external evaluation every year.
FFCU programmes
The areas that are to be reviewed are derived from current developments in Switzerland and the EU concerning the food chain, or come from the national control plan, see section Food chain strategy.
The FFCU carries out the supervision in the form of surveys, analyses and audits. Every area is a programme. The FFCU interviews the responsible officials within the authorities and accompanies inspectors during controls if necessary.
If there are shortcomings in implementation, the FFCU recommends necessary adaptations and demands that corrective action is taken on behalf of the competent federal offices.
The findings are incorporated in a final report, which supports the harmonisation and further development of the implementation system.
Food chain strategy
The food chain strategy creates the basis for efficient and coordinated implementation to ensure safety along the entire food chain. It sets out the responsibilities and tasks of the federal government and cantons.
The strategy covers all areas of food law – from agricultural production (e.g. feedstuffs, animal husbandry, plant health) to other legislation if it concerns food safety and compliance.
Organisational chart
The FFCU is jointly run by the directors of the FOAG and FSVO via a performance mandate. An operational body with representatives of both offices coordinates the activities with the FFCU senior management, and facilitates dialogue and exchange between all stakeholder groups.