The European Commission, in its role as guardian of the EC Treaties, is responsible for ensuring that Community legislation is properly implemented.

The responsible Commission service is the Directorate F – Health and food audits and analysis (former FVO). It is part of the Directorate General Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE). Its headquarters are located in Grange, County Meath, Ireland. The mission of the Directorat F includes checking compliance with the requirements of EU food safety and quality, animal health and welfare and plant health legislation within the European Union and in third countries exporting to the EU. Study visits are carried out to collect information and experiences made by member states.

To this end, the Directorat F carries out audits in the Member States and in the third countries concerned. The findings are presented in audit reports that are published on the internet. Before the final report is published on the internet, the competent authorities of the Member State visited is given the opportunity to comment on the report at draft stage.

In the final report, the Directorat F also communicates recommendations to the competent authorities of the Member State visited, if the audit has revealed any shortcomings. The Member State then presents an action plan within a set deadline on how it intends to address the shortcomings. The Directorat F evaluates this action plan together with other Commission services, and monitors its implementation through a number of follow-up activities.

Where appropriate, the Directorate F may highlight areas where the Commission may need to consider clarifying or amending legislation or areas where new legislation might be required. In this way, the results of Directorate F audits or study visits contribute to the development of EU legislation.

Audit reports, annual reports and Work programs are available under:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/audits-analysis/audit_reports/index.cfm
http://ec.europa.eu/food/audits_analysis/annual_reports/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/food/audits_analysis/audit_programmes/index_en.htm