Customs veterinarians and food‑safety officers at the port of Antwerp have launched a stricter inspection programme for all imported produce. The new regime, which requires every container arriving from non‑EU countries to be opened, scanned and its paperwork reviewed, is linked to forthcoming trade agreements that will increase imports from India and the Mercosur bloc.

How the inspections work

The inspection facility at the harbour resembles a laboratory, with white coats, stainless‑steel worktops and six large garage doors that lead into a purpose‑built chamber. When a container seal is broken, cold air rushes into the chamber and officers begin sampling the cargo. Stefan Van Deun, a veterinarian stationed at the Belgian harbour border post, demonstrated the process by moving a trolley to a container of frozen Indian shrimp and setting aside five boxes for rapid testing.

All containers from non‑EU origins now undergo a compulsory scan and a review of accompanying documents. In addition, many are sent for laboratory analysis. For shipments that originate in India, half of the containers are required to undergo laboratory testing, a measure aimed at detecting contaminants, illegal additives or any breach of EU food standards before the goods reach consumers.

Why the change now

The timing coincides with DG SANTE, the EU health and food‑safety directorate, tightening regulations after recent trade deals. Agreements with India and the Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – are projected to raise the volume of food, feed and plant imports to the EU by double‑digit percentages in the coming years. EU officials argue that stronger inspections are needed to preserve the Union’s reputation for food quality, while also seeking to streamline procedures and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.

Impact on staff and industry

The new checks have resulted in longer working hours and specialised training for thousands of customs and inspection staff at Antwerp. Unions have welcomed the focus on safety but warn that the workload may become unsustainable without additional resources. Importers, particularly small and medium‑sized companies, face higher compliance costs as testing requirements increase. Testing every second Indian shipment is expected to add time and expense, which could raise the price of imported shrimp for European consumers. Larger importers contend that the expense is justified to protect brand reputation and avoid costly product recalls.

Consumer organisations have largely supported the stricter checks, recalling a previous incident in which a frozen dog was found in a Chinese container, an episode that sparked public outrage. A spokesperson for the European Consumers’ Association noted that the discovery of non‑food items in shipments undermines public confidence in the food‑safety system.

Future developments

While the EU defines overall standards, the way they are applied varies among member states. Belgium’s approach at Antwerp is described as one of the most comprehensive, though officials acknowledge that aligning procedures across countries remains a work in progress. DG SANTE is testing a digital platform that would enable real‑time sharing of inspection data among customs offices in France, Germany, the Netherlands and other ports, with the aim of avoiding duplicate checks and speeding the release of goods already cleared elsewhere.

The European Commission intends to conduct an annual review of the impact of the new trade agreements on food safety, paying particular attention to climate‑related risks such as emerging seafood pathogens. Findings from these reviews will be incorporated into the EU’s farm‑to‑fork strategy, which seeks to make the food chain more resilient and sustainable. The presence of white‑coated inspectors opening containers at Antwerp illustrates the EU’s reliance on border checks to balance open trade with public health protection.