Food Safety top of list at EU Round Table

Amid the current threat of an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth disease in Europe, the issues of food safety, food production and quality were the main subjects of a round table on Monday, chaired by the European Commission. Food producers, retailers, consumer experts and scientists participated in a debate to strategically re-thinkink food production and food policy in terms of quality, safety and cost. European Commissioners David Byrne for Health and Consumer Protection and Franz Fischler for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries emphasised the need for shifts in attitudes of both consumers and producers if initiatives to improve the overall quality of the food on offer are to succeed. They also stressed the challenge posed in ways to match consumer demands and expectations for good quality food with a corresponding food supply. Following the meeting the Commissioners suggested concrete follow up-actions, such as similar round tables in the Member States and they collected suggestions for common policies or a conference with the European Parliament to consider the role of public policy vis a vis food quality and production methods. Commenting on the initiative David Byrne said, ""Consumers nowadays expect their food to be safe, wholesome, and tasty. As policy makers, we are seeking ways to push quality up the agenda in dialogue with consumers and stakeholders. We are focusing on how to develop the trend towards quality and diversity. I want to see a quality driven single market in foodstuffs." The Round Table discussed the issues surrounding local, regional and global food production systems and their impact on relations between producers and consumers. The objective of the discussion was to identify issues requiring further investigation.