What are the tasks of the BAES?
The Federal Office for Food Safety was founded as an authority by the GESG. The main tasks are the approval and certification as well as control and monitoring of the placing on the market of agricultural inputs in accordance with the Seed Act, the Plant Material Act, the Plant Variety Protection Act, the Plant Protection Products Act, the Plant Protection Act, the Feedstuffs Act, the Fertilizer Act and the Marketing Standards Act, as well as the monitoring of testing laboratories in accordance with § 52 of the Chemicals Act and applicable legal bases for illegal fishing. BAES plays the role of risk manager. This means that facts from the aforementioned materials (see laws) are assessed on the basis of scientific expert opinions for the protection of humans, animals and plants and are submitted to official decisions. Decisions are made objectively and independently.
Technical Notifications
- 14July2025
The plant protection product register is being modernised, we ask for feedback
The Plant Protection Products Register of the BAES lists the plant protection products authorised in Austria. It serves as a source of information and as a reference for professional users and farmers, as well as for the trade and private individuals. The register is now being revised technically and in terms of user-friendliness.
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- 18June2025
Mandatory use of the EU CATCH system for fish imports from January 10th, 2026
From January 10, 2026, the competent authorities of the EU Member States and economic operators will be obliged to use CATCH for the import of fishery products on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2023/2842. The aim is to identify and prevent the import of fishery products from IUU fishing into the EU.
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- 03June2025
Plant protection products: Application for mutual recognition under Article 40
The simplified procedure enables the authorization of a plant protection product if the same product is already authorized in another Member State. The details of the procedure and the application requirements are explained below.
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- 23May2025
BAES: Annual report of the 2024 inspection
The BAES is the competent federal authority for controls and monitoring in the implementation of those laws relating to agriculture and coordinates between federal and provincial authorities.
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- 12February2025
Marketing standards: Authorization of companies in the context of conformity checks on exports of fresh fruit and vegetables
As the competent authority, the Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES) can authorize companies to carry out independent conformity checks on the export of fresh fruit and vegetables.
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- 27January2025
Plant protection products: Notification of active substances and quantities for the 2024 reporting year
The forms available for reporting plant protection product active substances and quantities have been revised and updated with the approval data for the 2024 reporting year.
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- 21January2025
GMO-free seeds: New monitoring report and new testing requirements
The testing requirements for seed with regard to new GM events have been adjusted. Maize parent lots used in seed production in 2025 and the seed lots produced from them must have been tested in accordance with the provisions listed on the website of the Federal Office for Food Safety. The new GMO monitoring report on the avoidance of GMO contamination in Austrian seed production has been published.
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- 17January2025
"Werewolf syndrome": No reports to date regarding chews for dogs
The BAES has not yet received any reports in Austria regarding various neurological symptoms in dogs in connection with certain chewing articles made from bovine hide.
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- 09January2025
New EU regulations on marketing standards come into force on 1.1.2025, including innovations to combat food waste
New simplified regulations for marketing standards have applied to fruit and vegetables and bananas since January 1, 2025. The changes relate in particular to better consumer information, the reduction of food waste and adjustments to UNECE standards.
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- 10December2024
Plant protection products: time of cultivation determines indication
The Federal Office informs crop advisors about changes in cultivation methods regarding fall cultivation, which raise new questions regarding the indication of plant protection products: There are no technical or legal objections that plant protection products for use in winter cereals may also be used on spring cereals if they are sown in the fall.
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