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Food Safety

Control of Salmonella

EU coordinated control programmes for Salmonella through the consumption of food have been a major success story in the EU. While before 2004, more than 200 000 human cases were reported each year in the 15 EU countries, it dropped to less than 90 000 cases in 2014 in 28 EU countries.

General Regulations regarding the control of Salmonella

Basic Regulation: Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003.

Overall implementing acts:

Animal population specific amending or implementing acts

Breeding flocks of Gallus gallus

Laying Hens

Broilers

Turkeys

Fattening pigs

Breeding pigs

Co-financing of national control programmes

A decision on the cofinancing by the EU of national programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases, of certain TSEs, and for the prevention of zoonoses is adopted each year. For more information, please see the "Veterinary Programmes" page.

Special guarantees for Salmonella in certain EU countries

When the prevalence of Salmonella in certain animal populations or food is very low and strict national control programmes apply, the Commission may grant special guarantees to an EU country or region of EU countries.

Such guarantees include extended monitoring showing the absence of Salmonella before sending consignments to those EU countries or EEA countries. Such guarantees currently exist for Sweden, Finland, Denmark (table eggs) and Norway.

  • Commission Regulation (EC) No 1688/2005 as regards special guarantees concerning salmonella in certain meat and eggs
  • Council Decision 95/410/EC as regards poultry for slaughter intended for Finland and Sweden
  • 2003/644/EC: Commission Decision 2003/644/EC regarding consignments to Finland and Sweden of breeding poultry and day-old chicks for introduction into flocks of breeding poultry or flocks of productive poultry
  • Commission Decision 2004/235/EC regarding consignments to Finland and Sweden of laying hens

Guidance document on minimum requirements for special guarantees on Salmonella in eggs and poultry meat.

Reports on the prevalence of Salmonella in humans, food, animals and feed

Considerable progress has been made in reducing Salmonella in poultry and in humans. Annual zoonoses monitoring reports illustrating the progress can be found on the EFSA website.