AGES is not itself an authority and cannot issue official assessments. It supports two federal bodies, active in the agricultural and drug safety sectors respectively, by providing the resources necessary for them to carry out their mandate:
the Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES), and
the Federal Office for Safety in Healthcare (BASG).
The two regulated federal bodies are each legally assigned the statutory duties of an authority by Section 6 (1) and Section 6a (1) of the Austrian Health and Food Safety Act (Gesundheits- und Ernährungssicherheitsgesetz, GESG).
Federal Office for Food Safety
The Austrian Federal Office for Food Safety (BAES) is responsible for the statutory tasks relating to control and licensing of e.g. plant reproductive material, animal feed, fertilisers, and plant protection products. The authority is subordinate to the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism. BAES carries out registration, licensing and production monitoring, along with e.g. export and import controls for plants, crops and seeds. In addition, BAES monitors correct consumer information on fishery and aquaculture products.
In relation to the statutory tasks of the Federal Office for Food Safety, AGES is responsible for the following tasks:
- Analysis, testing and risk assessment of agricultural resources, for the enforcement of the Seeds Act, Planting Material Act, Plant Variety Protection Act, Plant Protection Products Act, Plant Protection Act, Feedstuffs Act, Fertiliser Act
- Applied research, particularly into soil protection, plant health and sustainable agricultural production
- Maintaining phytogenetic resources in gene banks
Federal Office for Safety in Healthcare
The Austrian Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG) is responsible for the statutory tasks relating to control and licensing of pharmaceutical and medicinal products. The authority is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection.
In relation to the statutory tasks of the Austrian Federal Office for Safety in Health Care, AGES is responsible the following tasks:
- Analytical investigations of pharmaceuticals on the market and suspect samples
- Participation in scientific regulatory processes at the European level
- Assessment of licensing documentation, for licensing safe and effective pharmaceutical products
- Inspection of manufacturing facilities, laboratories, clinical trials and vigilance Systems
- Market monitoring activities for pharmaceuticals and medical products
- Evaluation of pharmaceutical licensing documents
AGES - Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
