About Us
OUR GOALS
To make Europe a healthier, safer place, where consumers can be confident that their interests are protected.
A zero-risk society may not be possible but we are doing as much as we can to reduce and manage risks for consumers.
We aim to:
- empower consumers
- protect and improve public health
- ensure Europe's food is safe and wholesome
- protect the health and welfare of farm animals
- protect the health of crops and forests
We will achieve our goals by watching, listening to people's concerns and acting.
-
Monitoring - once the EU has passed laws on food and product safety, consumer rights or public health, it is up to national, regional and local governments to apply those laws - to ensure traders, manufacturers and food producers stick to the rules.
Part of our job is to check that this is really happening. - Listening - to be effective, our policies must take account of related EU policies on trade, competitiveness and the environment for example, and the concerns of our stakeholders. Through broad consultation , we want to hear from all interested parties.
- Acting - where EU action is needed, we make proposals using a mixture of laws, support for projects and other measures. We also support national or regional authorities where they are better placed to act.
DG Health and Consumers has around 960 staff.
- About 660 of us are in Brussels;
- About 120 work in Luxembourg and another 180 in Grange, near Dublin