Feed safety directly affects animal health and welfare, as well as the safety of the food people consume every day. Aligning national legislation in this area with EU standards is therefore an important part of Serbia\u2019s preparations under negotiating Chapter 12 \u2013 Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n
On\u00a018 September 2026<\/b>, the PLAC IV project, in cooperation with the\u00a0Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management<\/b>, organised a\u00a0workshop in Belgrade on aligning national feed legislation<\/b>\u00a0with the EU acquis and presenting proposed regulations. The workshop was opened by\u00a0Dijana Markovi\u0107 Bajalovi\u0107<\/b>, PLAC IV Key Legal Expert, and\u00a0Tamara Bo\u0161kovi\u0107<\/b>, Head of Department at the Veterinary Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.<\/p>\n
SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LEGISLATION<\/b><\/p>\n
PLAC IV experts\u00a0Slavica Nikoli\u0107-Stajkovi\u0107<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0Jelena Vra\u010dar Filipovi\u0107<\/b>\u00a0led the workshop and presented the work carried out under the project, in cooperation with the Veterinary Directorate, to align national legislation with EU legislation in this area. The workshop began with an overview of the Republic of Serbia\u2019s current legal framework governing feed, followed by a presentation of the provisions of the Draft Law on Animal Feed. Particular attention was paid to alignment with\u00a0EU rules governing feed hygiene<\/b>\u00a0and the\u00a0placing of feed on the market<\/b>, as well as the\u00a0EU Catalogue of Feed Materials<\/b>. Provisions concerning undesirable substances and detoxification processes were also highlighted.<\/p>\n
As part of this activity,\u00a0PLAC IV provided technical and legal support for the drafting of rulebooks<\/b>\u00a0as the secondary legislation necessary to implement the new Law, covering feed hygiene, undesirable substances, medicated feed and detoxification processes. The support also included the preparation of tables of concordance with the relevant EU legislation.<\/p>\n
SAFE ANIMAL FEED \u2013 SAFER FOOD FOR PEOPLE<\/b><\/p>\n
Feed control is an important link in the overall food safety system. Contaminated or poor quality feed can endanger animal health, while harmful substances, such as mycotoxins, heavy metals or residues of medicinal products, can pass along the food chain through meat, milk and eggs consumed by people.<\/p>\n
Proper control of medicated feed, through which animals receive treatment, is particularly important to ensure the justified and appropriate use of veterinary medicinal products, while reducing the risks of antimicrobial resistance and the presence of unauthorised residues in food.<\/p>\n
Harmonising legislation in this area is part of Serbia\u2019s preparations under Chapter 12, one of the most demanding chapters of the EU acquis. The ultimate objective is to establish a more reliable control system that protects animal health, improves food safety and helps ensure that products from Serbia meet the same standards that apply on the European Union market.<\/p>\n