Food safety

In the European Union, the labelling rules enable the citizens to get comprehensive information about the content and composition of food products.

The continuous progress in modern biotechnology. Innovation in the food and agricultural sector.

Novel Food is defined as food that had not been consumed to a significant degree by humans in the EU before 15 May 1997.

Chemical substances play an important role in food production and distribution.

A comprehensive legal framework to increase the level of food safety in Europe.

Wasting food is not only an ethical and economic issue but it also depletes the environment of limited natural resources.

A 'pesticide' is something that prevents, destroys, or controls a harmful organism ('pest') or disease, or protects plants or plant products.

Roughly 5 million EU farmers raise animals for food production with a value of about EUR 130 billion.

The EU animal health policy is the result of decades-long development in the fight against transmissible animal diseases.

Food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings are also known as "food improvement agents".

Animal health requirements regarding entry and movement into and within the EU of semen, oocytes and embryos free of pathogens have been harmonised.

The complex nature of our globalized agri-food supply chain and the economic motivation to provide cheaper food products increase the possibility of fraud.

The EU has one of the highest food safety standards in the world, which ensures that food is safe for consumers.

Animal by-products (ABPs) are materials of animal origin that people do not consume.

European citizens need to have access to safe and wholesome food of highest standards.

The food chain security provided by RASFF. Since 2014 the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed is a key tool to ensure food is safe for consumers.

The European Commission is committed to a future food safety budget and a coherent and responsible nutrition policy.

The EU and its competent authorities are responsible for verifying business compliance with the requirements for enforcing the agri-food chain legislation.

The EU's international trade agreements have contributed to developing international standards within food safety, animal health and law.

The EC monitors the implementation and enforcement of EU legislation on food, feed safety, animal health, animal welfare, plant health, and human health.

The EC training initiative to improve the knowledge of EU rules on food, feed law, animal health and welfare, as well as regulations on plant health.

EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs) aim to ensure high-quality, uniform testing in the EU.

With the support and close co-operation of EU countries, the EC has been promoting animal welfare for over 40 years, improving the lives of farm animals.

Each year, vast quantities of live animals and goods are being traded within and into the European Union (EU) for the benefit of over 500 million Europeans

Live animals are traded or enter the Union every day. The EU has laid down animal health requirements so that all these animals can be moved safely.

Every day, products of animal origin are moved between or enter the EU. In this view, the EU has laid down a range of animal health requirements.

The adoption of harmonised rules on travelling with pets has made it easier for EU citizens and their pets to enjoy freedom of movement within the Union.

The EU holistic approach to control of animal diseases is based on several aspects

The basic objectives for EU rules on the identification of animals are: The localisation and tracing of animals for veterinary purposes, which is of cruci

The Union's zootechnical legislation promotes free trade in breeding animals and their genetic material.

The veterinary border control is a key factor to ensure that the live animals and animal products entering to the European Union are safe

The EU regulates the marketing of plant reproductive material of agricultural, vegetable, forest, fruit and ornamental species and vines, ensuring that EU

EU rules on plant health aim to protect crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamentals and forests from harmful pests and diseases.

The EU has established a system that grants intellectual property rights to new plant varieties called Community plant variety right (CPVR).