Spain: stronger agri-food border controls with more physical inspections

The reorganization of border inspection services carried out by the Government at the end of 2024 has made it possible to increase the number of physical inspections carried out on agri-food products by 7.5% in one year, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas.

Border control of products imported and exported by the European Union (EU) was one of the main topics discussed during the meeting held in Seville between the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, and the Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi.

At a time when the EU has opened a process of reflection on harmonizing and improving the effectiveness of control systems in all Member States due to increased trade flows resulting from new trade agreements, Spain is presenting its new organizational model as a successful reference point.
 

New system at border control points

Gradually implemented since October 2024 and extended to Spain’s 45 border control points —30 in ports and 15 in airports— the new integrated system, under the functional responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, aims to optimize resources, improve coordination, and avoid duplication in order to achieve greater efficiency in inspections.

According to the minister, the results of this reinforcement have been very positive.

The creation of multidisciplinary teams has improved the efficiency of inspection processes. There are currently 581 staff working at border control points, 20% more than four years ago, including 473 inspectors, agronomists, and veterinarians, with the remainder being technical staff.

Planas reiterated that a triple control is carried out at border control points: documentary, identity, and physical inspection of products. The first two are applied to 100% of consignments, while physical checks are conducted randomly and selectively based on risk factors.
 

Increase in inspections and laboratory analysis

In addition to the overall 7.5% increase in physical inspections, the minister highlighted that inspections of products such as peppers, mangoes, and asparagus have risen by 80% this year.

He also pointed to a 50% increase in laboratory pesticide analysis, covering 400 different plant protection products, as well as viruses, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and other elements.

The minister assured that the strengthening of controls will continue in the coming years and that there will also be a significant improvement in results in 2026.
 

Visit to the Algeciras border control point

After the meeting in Seville, which in its second part also included the Andalusian regional minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Ramón Fernández Pacheco, as well as representatives of farmers’ organizations and agri-food cooperatives, the minister and the commissioner traveled to Algeciras (Cádiz) to visit the port’s border control point.

This was the first inspection center to apply the new unified inspection model and is one of the main entry points for agri-food products in Europe, as it serves as the EU’s southern border.

For plant products alone, more than 132,000 import certificates were recorded at this port last year, of which the vast majority —more than 130,000— corresponded to fruits and vegetables, representing 62% of all traffic through Spain’s border control points.