The Federal Office for Consumer Health (BAVG) is the competent authority for the import control of foodstuffs, goods and animals from third countries for commercial purposes, as well as those of private individuals. These controls are carried out at Austrian border inspection posts by border veterinarians and official control bodies in cooperation with the customs authorities. The BAVG also issues company export licences and issues official certificates for company or private purposes when food, certain goods or animals are exported to third countries. Furthermore, the BAVG authorises and inspects laboratories that work with pathogens of notifiable animal diseases. With regard to internet controls, the BAVG inspects all internet providers whose registered office is outside Austria in the European Single Market or a third country and who offer goods such as children's toys, cosmetics and food for online-sale in Austria.

The BAVG is the competent authority for issuing and maintaining company export licences as well as issuing official certificates for company or private purposes if foodstuffs, certain goods or animals are exported to third countries that are subject to the Foodstuffs and Consumer Protection Act. In addition to the European regulations, the import regulations of the destination country must also be complied with. In order to ensure that Austrian food businesses with a valid export licence comply with the requirements of the respective third countries, the BAVG inspection bodies carry out regular inspections of Austrian food businesses on the basis of a risk-based inspection plan. Depending on the requirements of the respective third country, comprehensive inspections of production facilities, processes and procedures to ensure food safety and quality, which exceed the respective requirements of intra-Community trade, are carried out. The inspections carried out serve to ensure that Austrian food businesses fulfil the requirements of the destination country.

In order to ensure a high level of consumer protection, e-commerce is subject to the same legal requirements as "regular" bricks-and-mortar retail and is subject to risk-based official monitoring. Within the scope of its responsibilities as an authority, the BAVG is responsible for monitoring the legal requirements of online trade in everyday consumer goods (e.g. cosmetics, toys), which are subject to the Foodstuffs and Consumer Protection Act. This activity takes place in a targeted manner on the basis of an official control structure and includes the official control of all providers of goods that are offered for sale in Austria via the Internet or other distance selling channels from contracting states of the EU, EEA states or third countries. In contrast to the competence of the BAVG, the official control competence for online trade by Austrian providers remains with the competent provincial authority (provincial governor).