Turkish delegation participates in study visit to Spain on flexibility in food safety legislation

A delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye visited Spain from 9 to 13 February 2026 to learn about implementing flexibility measures under the European Union Food Hygiene Package. Spain and Türkiye, both Mediterranean countries, share some climatic conditions and agrifood production characteristics that make them a great fit as learning partners.

The mission was organized as part of a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Technical Cooperation Programme project to develop food safety and nutrition capacity, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye. The project aims to develop a comprehensive and integrated policy, regulatory and advocacy framework for safe and nutritious foods in the food supply chain in Türkiye – especially for small-scale producers.

The visit builds upon recent FAO-supported training sessions on flexibility and value chain analyses conducted for selected traditional products in Türkiye. The country’s food hygiene legislation is already broadly aligned with the European Union framework, particularly for products of animal origin.

The mission aims to build on this foundation by identifying areas where additional tailored legal instruments and practical guidance on controls and compliance could further strengthen the implementation of flexibility measures in line with the European Union Food Hygiene Package.

The visit reinforced the value of international cooperation and peer learning in strengthening food safety governance systems while preserving traditional food heritage.

Practical insights from Spanish authorities and traditional food businesses

The delegation from Türkiye learned about and visited the Spanish Food Safety Agency in Madrid and regional competent authorities in Catalonia (Barcelona) and Castilla-La Mancha (Toledo). They also met with food inspectors from the districts of Toledo and the chief veterinary officer for the Catalonia region.

The delegation also visited several food business operators benefiting from flexibility measures. One, a saffron cooperative in Villafranca de los Caballeros, near Toledo, produces Azafrán de La Mancha under strict protected designation of origin specifications. Additional locations visited included a traditional bakery in Tomelloso producing protected geographical indication “Pan de Cruz” bread for generations and a small-scale pasta producer in Caldes de Montbui, a family-owned microbusiness in operation since the eighteenth century. Further on, in Terradelles, the group visited a family-owned micro-dairy farm processing approximately 36 000 litres of goat milk annually from its own herd.

From legal framework to implementation and official controls

These visits illustrated how Spain operationalizes flexibility under the European Union Food Hygiene Package by formalizing adaptations and derogations (exemptions from or relaxations of laws) through national and regional legal instruments and ensuring their effective implementation through risk-based official controls. Discussions with competent authorities and district food inspectors provided practical insights into how these adaptations and derogations are supervised in daily inspection work, including for traditional production methods, small establishments and regionally protected products.

The programme was designed to reflect the ongoing legal and institutional development process in Türkiye and provide concrete examples of how flexibility can be legally grounded, risk-based and effectively supervised.

The exchanges were particularly relevant for ongoing work to develop flexibility provisions for four traditional products in Türkiye: Divle Tulum Cheese, Kızılcahamam Sausage, Beypazarı Tarhana and Çubuk Pickles. These products share similarities with the Spanish cases visited, including small-scale production structures, strong geographical identity, traditional processing methods and specific hygiene challenges. The visit offered practical reference models not only for possible legal instruments but also for inspection approaches, control procedures and supervision mechanisms that ensure public health protection.

The Türkish delegation was led by Selim Kaplan, Head of the Department of Food Codex and Feed Legislation. Nilay Demir and Halil Apaydın, from the same department, also were in attendance.

The technical design and coordination of the programme in Spain were led by Laura Cabedo, a food safety and regulations expert supporting flexibility implementation in Türkiye. The mission was facilitated by Myriam Annette, an FAO food engineer, who supports projects and programmes on agrifood systems transformation.

“Designing this visit was about creating a bridge between legal provisions and real-life implementation,” Cabedo said. “Flexibility is not about lowering standards. It is about applying hygiene requirements in a proportionate and risk-based manner. Spain’s experience shows that traditional production can be preserved while ensuring robust food safety controls, provided that adaptations are supported by clear legal instruments and sound hazard analysis.”

Kaplan emphasized the relevance of the visit for the ongoing work in Türkiye.

“This study visit has provided us with concrete and practical insights into how flexibility can be operationalized through national legal instruments while ensuring consumer protection,” Kaplan said. “The exchanges with Spanish authorities and producers will directly support our efforts to strengthen the legal framework for traditional and small-scale producers in Türkiye.”