Plan for food/feed crisis management

 

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2004/478/EC – adoption of a general plan for food/feed crisis management

Corrigendum

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS DECISION?

The EU legislation setting out the general principles and requirements of food law and establishing the European Food Safety Authority provides the legal basis for the plan for food/feed crisis management.

The EU plan for food/feed crisis management aims to avoid or minimise the health and economic impact of possible crises.

KEY POINTS

The decision contains a plan on practical procedures necessary to manage a food or feed crisis — including principles of transparency and a communication strategy to follow. It also establishes a network of crisis coordinators.

It allows the European Commission to establish a crisis unit if a crisis occurs. The Commission immediately informs the EU countries concerned. The unit gathers and evaluates data and identifies the options for managing the crisis as well as the best ways to inform the public.

The Commission prepares the measures to be taken where necessary. It may also ask the European Food Safety Agency to provide an urgent scientific opinion.

Throughout the crisis, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed holds regular meetings to ensure all information is shared, and the necessary measures are implemented. EU countries are responsible for official checks.

When the risk has been brought under control, the crisis unit is dissolved.

For cases when the risk is ‘potential’ and could evolve, the decision contains an effective management plan. A crisis unit would not be established unless the risk grows.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 May 2004.

BACKGROUND

Although EU legislation aims to prevent outbreaks of food-borne diseases with standards on good hygiene, limits on residues of medicinal substances or pesticides used in the food chain, and official controls, etc, crises do occasionally occur. Previous food and feed safety crises, like the bovine spongiform encephalopath (BSE) crisis in the 1990s, caused human suffering and had a serious impact on the economy.

Information about a crisis may come from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed; national authorities, European Food Safety Authority, FVO, other countries, media, consumer groups, etc.

For more information, see:

• Crisis preparedness and management (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Decision 2004/478/EC of 29 April 2004 concerning the adoption of a general plan for food/feed crisis management (OJ L 160, 30.4.2004, pp. 98-110). Text republished in corrigendum (OJ L 212, 12.6.2004, pp. 60-68)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, pp. 1-24)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 16/2011 of 10 January 2011 laying down implementing measures for the Rapid alert system for food and feed (OJ L 6, 11.1.2011, pp. 7-10)

last update 23.04.2018