New EU food chain advisory group created
bring together the food industry, retailers, farmers and consumers.
The purpose is to facilitate consultation and dialogue between the European Commission and European organisations on food safety policy, while highlighting the importance of cooperation along the food chain.
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.
"Debate and dialogue with stakeholders helps strengthen the quality of our policy making and is an essential component of good governance," said European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection David Byrne. "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 now being invited to apply for membership to the Advisory Group on the Food Chain and Animal and Plant Health.
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.
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. It is likely to meet for the first time towards the end of this year.
