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In early November, Europe's food safety chief David Byrne unveiled plans for a new European Food Authority (EFA), designed to provide consumer health protection in the area of food safety across the 15 nation European Union (EU). The new authority already has the backing of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and will now be examined by EU member governments.

If the legislative timetable is kept, the food authority will be operating by 2002. The European Commission envisions an authority with 250 staff and a budget of some 40 million euros within three years, and for the overall number of employees eventually to rise to about 330.

The authority will be completely independent, operating under its own management board consisting of national and EU representatives. Some places will be reserved for other interested parties from consumers and industry, but its role would be essentially advisory, leaving decisions on the action to be taken to EU governments and the European Commission.

In addition to the EFA, a new food law will provide the basic principles and requirements for the marketing of food and for the assurance of a safe food supply to consumers. It will also address the safety of animal feeds particularly where these may have a direct or indirect effect on food safety.

"The substantive food law and the creation of the European Food Authority are the building blocks, the very foundations upon which our new food safety policy will rest," said Byrne.

General food law principles and requirements

The main provisions of the law are the following:

• Definition of the term "food": Food means any substance or product intended to be, or expected to be ingested by humans.
• Establishments of general principles: Food law shall pursue the protection of human life, taking into account the precautionary principle, the protection of the consumers' interest, the traceability of food and feed and clearly establish responsibilities for food and feed business operators and public authorities.
• Requirements of food and feed safety: Only safe food may be placed on the market and food shall be considered unsafe if it is potentially injurious to health or unfit for human consumption or contaminated. Similarly no feed shall be placed on the market or fed to any food-producing animal unless it satisfies the feed safety requirements. Food and feed business operators shall ensure that at all stages of production and distribution under their control this principle is respected.

Setting up a European Food Authority

The EFA will have six main functions:

• (1) independent scientific opinions (at the request of the Commission, Member States, national food bodies or the European Parliament)

• (2) advice on technical food issues to underpin policy and legislation in the areas of food safety and nutrition, as well as animal health and welfare, and plant health

• (3) collection and analysis of data on dietary patterns, exposure, risks etc. for monitoring food safety in the EU

• (4) identification of emerging risks

• (5) day-to-day operation of the rapid alert system covering both food and feed

• (6) a clear communication role to inform the public on all matters within its mandate.

The main focus of the EFA will be to provide independent scientific advice and establish a network of close co-operation with similar bodies in Member States.

Edited by Pam Ahlberg,
Managing Editor, Food Online