In December 2013, the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) created a Task Force to support the Federal States in fighting the illegal trade of plant protection products. Illegal plant protection products are products that are not marketable in Germany either because they have no authorisation or permit or because their composition does not comply with the authorisation or permit. The Task Force acts as a contact point at national and international level for matters regarding illegal plant protection products, it gathers and evaluates the available information and develops analytical methods together with the laboratory for formulation chemistry. In particularly important cases, the Task Force invites to ad hoc meetings. Unit 206 “product chemistry and analytical methods” manages the Task Force.