Food & Consumer Goods
The demand for specialized knowledge about food and consumer goods is increasing as a result of the emphasis on chain responsibility of all parties that engage in production, import and export, transport, storage and trade of food and goods.
In fact the food and consumer goods market is one of the most heavily regulated markets; on international, European and national levels. Every business in the chain of the food and goods industry must ensure the safety of the (food) product. The exact rules from European and national food and goods regulation are a jungle, however. The Food Safety Regulations and the Directive on General Product Safety often still ring a bell, but the dozens of specific implementation ordinances and guidelines and national regulations are in practice complicated and interwoven and inscrutable. And this while buyers expect more and more quality and consumers are focused on the safety of the goods that they buy.
Besides many of the market sectors that Van Traa serves, experience an increase of inspections and enforcement procedures by supervisors such as NVWA, SKAL (organic), Customs Authorities, ILT AND SZW. Certainly when there is also a threat of a (silent) recall action/product recall, matters can become quite hectic.
Our team will lead you through this jungle thanks to:
- Expertise in-house in the field of food and product regulations; we can advise you about product compliance with European and national food and product regulations, in particular about innovative technology and novel foods, but also in the fields of insurance and liability and trade and transport contracts.
- Special experience with the import and (de)certification of organic products, which means that the product may no longer be traded as organic with substantial financial loss as a result.
- Advice about for instance the possibilities and impossibilities of import and export and the formalities that must be observed.
- Information about registrations, recognitions, certificates and CE markings.
- Preparation for, and assistance with, inspections and raids of supervisors.
- Support in proceedings under public law against imposed measures, sanctions and (insurance) claims.
- Advice about insurance cover and trading loss.
- Assistance in the event of claims of/against suppliers, buyers, (recall) insurers and naturally the necessary arbitration actions.
- Review of general (storage, transport and delivery) conditions and contracts.
- Recall with a good network of international correspondents. If necessary, we can be reached 24/7 (phone in an emergency: 00 31 6 20 21 05 66).
- Teaching courses and trainings.
