Today, 8^th December 2014, several Polish media released information on allegedly discriminating inspection of foodstuffs of Polish origin carried out by the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority. CAFIA objects very strongly to such information and states as follows:

CAFIA always has to respond to the current situation on the food market and on the movement of goods both within and outside the EU in order to protect interests of consumers. In August 2014, the Russian Federation announced its embargo related to import of selected food commodities from the EU to the RF. CAFIA had to react to this situation as requirements on foodstuffs intended for the Russian market could be different from the ones for the European market. With regard to the fact that Poland is a significant exporter to the RF, the CAFIA step to pay attention and focus its inspection activities on foodstuffs that may enter the CR despite they were intended for the Russian market was logic. The embargo applies to fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, meat products, milk, milk products, fish and products thereof.

As written in CAFIA internal regulation mentioned by several Polish media: “The incentive for an inspection will be any outstanding situation that will occur on the market (Russian labels with Czech stickers, dumping prices, etc...)” The document, inter alia, says that only commodities which are subjects of the Russian embargo are the subjects of inspection. Information indicated by the Polish side is lifted from the context of the document and do not represent objective focus of inspections.

On 3^rd October 2014, these inspections were finished and replaced by implementation of inspections following from Government Regulation No. 211/2014 imposing the importers to notify the import of selected sorts of fruit and vegetables 48 hours before the arrival of the consignment into the destination in the CR. The Government Regulation and inspection of its observance applies to all inspected persons concerned, no matter the country they come from. Since the beginning of effect of this Regulation, CAFIA obtained notifications on 26,000 deliveries of fresh fruit and vegetables, out of which, 5,900 lots were checked on the spot. CAFIA took 649 samples for laboratory analysis, out of which 9 samples were non-complying – 5 Polish, 2 German and 2 Austrian samples, see the Press Release of 3^rd December 2014.

Official inspection by CAFIA is thus carried out on the basis of risk assessment and always takes the current situation on the market into account.