Brussels, Belgium
September 3, 2004A group
bringing together notably consumers, the food industry,
retailers and farmers is being created to facilitate
consultation and dialogue between the European Commission and
European organisations on food safety policy. The Advisory
Group on the Food Chain and Animal and Plant Health will
meet at least twice a year and consist of up to 45 members from
EU-level associations. Reflecting the Commission’s “farm to
fork” approach to food safety, the group will be consulted on a
wide range of food policy matters. Additionally, the Commission
intends to create an Internet based consultative forum on food
safety open to all European organisations with an interest in
this area of policy. The new Advisory Group is likely to meet
for the first time towards the end of this year.
David Byrne, the European
Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, said “Debate
and dialogue with stakeholders helps strengthen the quality of
our policy making and is an essential component of good
governance. Over the past few years the EU has put in place a
world class system of food safety regulation. It is appropriate
that today we also modernise our system for consulting on food
safety.”
European level associations
representing food producers, food processors, retailers and
consumers are being invited to apply for membership to the
Advisory Group on the Food Chain and Animal and Plant Health.
For details of how to apply, visit the web address given below.
The new Advisory Group replaces
five existing consultative bodies – the Advisory Committee on
Foodstuffs, plus the standing groups on veterinary matters,
plant health, animal welfare and feedingstuffs previously
attached to the Advisory Committee on Agricultural Product
Health and Safety. The Advisory Group should not be confused
with the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health
which is a Committee composed of Member States representatives
assisting the Commission in the legislative process. The new
Advisory Group will focus on strategies on food safety policies
and will be complemented by consultation exercises on individual
subjects as is the practice today.
The Commission will further
convene ad hoc working groups of the Advisory Committee with the
purpose of collecting, at an initial or more advanced stage in
the legislative process, more technical contributions from the
different fields involved or with the purpose of providing
information on the implementation of existing food law. It can,
for instance, be anticipated that there would be a working group
on food labelling, and one on biotechnology. Participation in
the working groups will be open to members of the Advisory Group
but it will further be possible to invite as observers other
interested bodies or parties, including interested parties from
non-Member States.
For further information see:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/committees/advisory/index_en.htm
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