The majority of MPs also voted for a federal-state agreement to provide financial security for “early help”.
Vienna (PK) – Changes to the food safety and animal health control system were introduced today National Council meeting accepted by the majority. In addition, the majority of MPs voted for a federal-state agreement that would ensure the financing of so-called “early help” for the period from 2024 to 2028. There was a unanimous decision to make a related change to the ASVG. “Early help” refers to measures to promote health or targeted early intervention during pregnancy and early childhood up to the age of three.
Food safety and animal health control system
With the votes of the ÖVP, the Greens and NEOS, a government proposal with changes to the control system was approved Food safety and animal health accepted by the majority. The collective amendment takes national and Union law developments of the last few decades into account in the areas of consumer health as well as in veterinary and food administration, with the main focus being formal changes, such as the legal anchoring of processes that have been established for years in the cooperation between federal and state authorities and the consolidation to date scattered legal bases in one law. The central storage of sample and control data from the consumer health register will be legally anchored.
“Basically welcome,” Dietmar Keck (SPÖ) called the proposed law, which serves the professional cooperation between federal and state authorities in the areas of food safety, consumer protection, veterinary and animal protection. From the SPÖ’s point of view, however, there are “significant deficiencies” in this legislation and therefore no approval. Keck criticized the fact that animal welfare controls were not carried out by the same bodies that carry out veterinary and food controls. This means that the veterinarian who checks in the slaughterhouse is not involved in the stable inspection, which would be essential for the overview, says Keck.
This new law removes some bureaucratic hurdles. Among other things, it provides for the combination of different databases and makes control and risk assessment easier, said Olga Voglauer (Greens). With regard to the criticism expressed by Dietmar Keck in the preface, Voglauer said that in practice it would not be possible for the same veterinarian who inspects the slaughterhouse to also “accompany life on the farm”. Most farmers are members of quality programs and are therefore in constant communication with veterinarians.
The aim of changing the Animal Diseases Act is to create improvements, but exactly the opposite is the case, said Alois Kainz (FPÖ). Only more bureaucracy, new authorities and new regulations will be created. Kainz also criticized a new regulation for working dog sports.
This law does not create any bureaucracy, but rather brings decades of established processes into a legal framework and is therefore an important point of departure, said Josef Hechenberger (ÖVP). Referring to the criticism expressed by Dietmar Keck, it was important for him to point out that “cross compliance is checked by the official veterinarians on the farms”. Alexandra Tanda (ÖVP) emphasized that it was about making food for Europe healthier and more sustainable. She appealed for food to be purchased and processed in a targeted manner in order to avoid food loss and waste. Johann Höfinger (ÖVP) emphasized the importance of direct marketers, as they would maintain traditions and offer special products in the annual cycle. Direct marketers who produce raw materials, process food and market it themselves would have a lot of effort. Therefore, one has to be sensitive about the requirements for these companies, says Höfinger.
Federal-state agreement on “early help” passed
A federal-state agreement on the provision and financing of a comprehensive and needs-based range of so-called “Early help” for the years 2024 to 2028. In the period 2024 to 2028, €21 million will be made available annually, with one third of the costs being borne by the federal government, the states and the health and pension insurance providers. In order to implement the agreement, an amendment to the ASVG is necessary, which, among other things, Cost contribution by health and pension insurance providers regulates. The government proposal in this regard was unanimously approved in the plenary session.
The birth of a child can be stressful in some cases. In order to provide those affected with assistance, the existing “Early Help” offer has proven to be effective. The federal-state agreement ensures long-term financing and helps ensure that this “very good model” is secured and expanded, said Ralph Schallmeiner (Greens).
The “early help” offer increases equal opportunities and is therefore worth every cent, said Katharina Werner (NEOS). The system has been working for 10 years, but now they want to put an “advisory committee on top of it” and this means building up bureaucracy. Therefore, there is no approval from NEOS for the federal-state agreement, said Werner. In addition, there is a lack of staff in the area of “early help” in many federal states, which is why the expansion of places at universities of applied sciences is necessary in order to be able to train more people for relevant professions in this field.
The sooner help is given, the better, emphasized Rosa Ecker (FPÖ). Early help contributes to the good and healthy development of children. The FPÖ also asked itself whether the newly created coordination group contained in the federal-state agreement was actually necessary. Your group still agreed to the agreement, said Ecker.
After the birth of a child, problems are often not discussed openly and difficult situations are glossed over. Therefore, a low-threshold support offer is important, said Elisabeth Feichtinger (SPÖ). The networks of family companions are essential. It is therefore good that the “Early Help” offer is being taken out of the pilot project phase with this federal-state agreement and is being financed in the long term.
Pregnancy or life with a small child is a big challenge for many and sometimes overwhelming, said Martina Diesner-Wais (ÖVP). Since the foundation for children’s physical, emotional and social health develops in the first years of life, it is important to offer free and confidential support through “early help”.
Since 2015, more than 10,000 families have been able to receive support based on their needs with the “Early Help” offer, emphasized Health Minister Johannes Rauch. As part of the financial equalization, it was possible to secure joint funding from the federal government, the states and social security in equal shares of €7 million each year for “early help” and thus secure “one of the most effective projects”. He would therefore like to thank the “rather broad” support for this federal-state agreement. (Continuation of the National Council) bea
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