Overview Report on the outcome of a survey in Member States in 2025 on Food Safety Culture official controls

European Commission Health and Food Safety Directorate-General report

The European Commission has published in June 2026 a report assessing how Member States are implementing official controls on “food safety culture” (FSC), a concept introduced into EU legislation in 2021 to strengthen food safety management through values, behaviours, and organisational mindset.

The findings show that around two-thirds of Member States have incorporated FSC into their official controls, at least in certain food sectors, typically as part of routine inspections or broader food safety audits. However, only a limited number of competent authorities have formally assessed FSC implementation at establishment level. Early indications suggest that large and medium-sized businesses tend to perform better, possibly due to the influence of third-party audits.

The report highlights that enforcement actions related to FSC non-compliance remain limited, and many countries face challenges in applying these controls. The main difficulties stem from the novelty of the concept and the challenge of assessing cultural aspects in a consistent and objective way. Resource constraints and uncertainty about the added value of dedicated FSC controls further limit uptake in some Member States.

Despite these obstacles, about half of the Member States are actively working to address these challenges and develop practical approaches to improve FSC implementation across the food sector.

Source: Health and Food Safety Directorate-General
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_food-safety/index_en.htm

Luxembourg: Publications Officeof the European Union, 2026
© European Union, 2026 , doi:10.2875/5993390