Regulatory Committees assist the European Commission in the development of food safety measures at all stages of the food chain. The "from the farm to the fork" approach covers areas such as food & feed safety, animal health, animal welfare and plant health.

The Committees plays a key role in the EU decision-making process as Committee members are representatives of the EU Member States. The Commission may consult the relevant Regulatory Committee on a proposal. The Committee can then deliver an Opinion which may allow the measure to be formally adopted by the Commission in accordance with the appropriate procedure.

Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) was established following the adoption of Regulation (EC) 178/2002. This Regulation set out the general principles and requirements of food law. It also established the European Food Safety Authority ( EFSA) and laid down procedures for food safety issues which included the re-organisation of the regulatory committees system.

The Committee's mandate covers the entire food supply chain, ranging from animal health issues on the farm to the product that arrives on the consumer's table, therefore significantly enhancing its ability to target risks to health wherever they arise in the production of our food. It is chaired by a European Commission representative.

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• Provisional planning of Standing Committee meetings 2009 Updated 05-11-2009 (please mind that this planning is provisional and will be updated regularly)
• Provisional planning of Standing Committee meetings 2010 (please mind that this planning is provisional and will be updated regularly)
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SCFCAH has eight sections :

• General Food Law;
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• Biological Safety of the Food Chain;
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• Toxicological Safety of the Food Chain;
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• Controls and Import Conditions;
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• Animal Nutrition;
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• Genetically modified Food and Feed and Environmental Risk (2004);
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• Animal Health and Animal Welfare;
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• Phytopharmaceuticals.
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There are also several other current Regulatory Committees:

• Standing Committee on Plant Health (SCPH)
• Standing Committee on Propagating Material and Ornamental Plants (SCPOP)
• Standing Committee on Fruit Plants (SCFP)
• Standing Committee on Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry Seeds and Plants (SCPS)
• Standing Committee on Community Plant Variety Rights (SCPVR)
• Standing Committee on Zootechnics (SCZ)

SCFCAH replaces the former Standing Veterinary Committee, the former Standing Committee on Foodstuffs, the former Standing Committee on Animal Nutrition. It also took over the Standing Committee on Plant Health's responsibility for plant protection products and pesticides residues.

LINK TO ARCHIVE SECTION OF ALL THE FORMER STANDING COMMITTEES

ARCHIVE of the Standing Committee on Foodstuffs (2000 - 2001)
ARCHIVE of the Standing Committee on Plant Health (1997 - 2002)
ARCHIVE of the Standing Committee on Animal Nutrition (1997 - 2002)
ARCHIVE of the Standing Veterinary Committee (1997 - 2002)