The European Commission aims to assure a high level of food safety and animal & plant health within the EU through coherent Farm to Fork measures and adequate monitoring, while ensuring an effective internal market.
The implementation of this integrated Food Safety policy in the EU involves various actions, namely:
- to assure effective control systems and evaluate compliance with EU standards in the food safety and quality, animal health, animal welfare, animal nutrition and plant health sectors within the EU and in non-EU countries in relation to their exports to the EU;
- to manage international relations with non-EU countries and international organisations concerning food safety, animal health, animal welfare, animal nutrition and plant health;
- to manage relations with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and ensure science-based risk management.
The integrated approach to food safety is covered by the following web sections:
Safety
Every European citizen has the right to know how the food they eat is produced, processed, packaged, labelled and sold.
The central goal of the European Commission's Food Safety policy is to ensure a high level of protection of human health regarding the food industry — Europe’s largest manufacturing and employment sector.
The Commission's guiding principle, primarily set out in its White Paper on Food Safety, is to apply an integrated approach from farm to fork covering all sectors of the food chain.
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Animals
The objective of the Animal Health policy is to raise the health status and improve the conditions of the animals in the EU, in particular food-producing animals, whilst permitting intra-Community trade and imports of animals and animal products in accordance with the appropriate health standards and international obligations.
The general aim of the Animal Welfare policy is to ensure that animals don’t need to endure avoidable pain or suffering and obliges the owner/keeper of animals to respect minimum welfare requirements.
The EU zootechnical legislation aims at the promotion of free trade in breeding animals and their genetic material considering the sustainability of breeding programs and preservation of genetic resources.
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Plants
The European Commission takes actively part in the setting of international phytosanitary and quality standards for plants and plant products.
EU legislation has, over the years, provided for the harmonised protection of our 'green resources'. Issues like pesticides, plant variety rights or Genetically Modified Organisms are some of the topics you will find in this section.
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Horizontal topics related to Food Safety
A selection of topics that span across more than one of the main pillars of the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE).
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News
Glyphosate:
Commission adopts a renewal for 10 years
Official Controls:
European Commission publishes its Health and food audits and analysis work programme for 2024
Official Controls:
Do you know how Member States fight fraud along the agri-food chain? A new Commission report gives you an insight.
Official Controls:
Report on EU outbreaks and measures to control Xylella fastidiosa, a disease damaging olive trees and other plants
Animal Welfare:
Latest Eurobarometer published
Glyphosate:
No qualified majority in Standing Committee. Appeal Committee for November
GMOs:
Commission authorises three genetically modified maize varieties as food and animal feed but not for cultivation, and renews the authorisation of another
Avian Influenza:
EFSA recommendation on available vaccines and strategies
Official Controls:
TRACES annual report for 2022 published
Food additives:
Commission sets new reduced limits for nitrites and nitrates as food additives.