Responsibilities and tasks of European Union reference centres for the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain
Article 98
The European Union reference centres for the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain shall be responsible for the following supporting tasks insofar as they are included in the reference centres’ annual or multiannual work programmes that have been established in conformity with the objectives and priorities of the relevant work programmes adopted by the Commission in accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014: (a) providing specialised knowledge in relation to the authenticity and integrity of the agri-food chain and to the methods for detecting violations of the rules referred to in Article 1(2) of this Regulation perpetrated through fraudulent or deceptive practices, in relation to the forensic science applied to the areas governed by these rules; (b) providing specific analyses designed to identify the segments of the agri-food chain that are potentially subject to violations of the rules referred to in Article 1(2) of this Regulation perpetrated through fraudulent or deceptive practices and helping to develop specific official control techniques and protocols; (c) where necessary, performing the tasks referred to in points (a) to (h) of Article 94(2) of this Regulation, thereby avoiding duplication with the tasks of European Union reference laboratories designated in accordance with Article 93 of this Regulation; (d) where necessary, establishing and maintaining collections or databases of authenticated reference materials, to be used to detect violations of the rules referred to in Article 1(2) of this Regulation perpetrated through fraudulent or deceptive practices; and (e) disseminating research findings and technical innovations in the fields within the scope of their mission.