Active handling of fraud organic food

In response to the answers to parliamentary questions on 7 October about fraud with organic and conventional meat, Bionext wants to discuss the follow-up of fraud. As a result of insufficient capacity at the NVWA, fraud with organic food is only punished by decertification. Bionext is of the opinion that fraud with the organic quality mark should not go unpunished and wants companies to have tougher sanctions imposed. In addition to decertification, Skal should be given the authority to punish fraudulent entrepreneurs with an administrative fine or temporary denial of organic production.

Insufficient capacity and priority to food safety means that the NVWA has no room to investigate suspected fraud with organic food: "Important criteria for starting a criminal investigation are the probable nature, seriousness and extent of the fraud and the available detection capacity. Priorities must be set for the selection of follow-up cases under criminal law. Cases in which there may be a risk to public health will be dealt with first."

Despite the fact that public health should logically be given priority over fraud cases, this is not a sustainable solution for the guarantee that the organic sector wants to give, according to Bionext. The underutilisation of the NVWA means that important compliance has not been achieved. A solution must be found to this problem.

Miriam van Bree, Manager Knowledge & Innovation at Bionext: "Consumers must always be able to trust that an organic product is actually organic. Bionext is of the opinion that Minister Schouten must ensure that there are sufficient ways to ensure that fraud does not pay off. The NVWA must be given more capacity to investigate fraud cases. In addition, Skal Biocontrole should be given the authority to punish fraudulent entrepreneurs. So that, in addition to decertification, Skal can impose administrative fines and deprive a fraudulent entrepreneur of the right to do business biologically for at least five years. In this way, fraud can be actively tackled harder."