Food law, European Food Authority, and food safety

ACT : Commission Regulation 2230/2004/EC laying down detailed rules for the implementation of European Parliament and Council Regulation 178/2002/EC with regard to the network of organisations operating in the fields within the European Food Safety Authority’s mission.

CONTENT : networking between the European Food Safety Authority and the Member States’ organisations operating in the fields within the Authority’s mission is one of the basic principles of the Authority’s operation. It is therefore necessary to stipulate how this principle should be implemented, in accordance with Regulation 178/2002/EC in order to ensure efficiency.

Certain bodies in the Member States carry out tasks at national level which are similar to those of the Authority. Networking must make it possible to foster a framework for scientific cooperation allowing information and knowledge to be shared, common tasks to be identified, and optimum use to be made of resources and expertise. It is also important to facilitate the compilation of a Community-level summary of the data on food and feed safety collected by these bodies. As these bodies are to be entrusted with certain tasks with a view to assisting the Authority with its general mission as defined by Regulation 178/2002/EC it is essential for them to be designated by the Member States on the basis of criteria covering scientific and technical competence, efficiency and independence.

In accordance with the provisions of Regulation 178/2002/EC, it is important for the Advisory Forum to be able to ensure close cooperation with the Authority and the competent bodies of the Member States by promoting the European networking of organisations operating within the fields of the Authority’s mission.

It is important to ensure on a general basis that the tasks entrusted by the Authority to the network’s member organisations are performed to high scientific and technical standards, efficiently (also with regard to deadlines) and independently. However, the Authority must remain responsible for allocating tasks to the competent bodies and for monitoring performance.

The tasks entrusted to the competent bodies on the list must involve providing the Authority with assistance with its mission to provide scientific and technical support in relation to Community policy and legislation, without prejudice to the Authority’s responsibility for performing its tasks pursuant to Regulation 178/2002/EC.

Lastly, the Authority may decide to allocate financial support for tasks entrusted to the organisations on the list where they are of particular interest as regards contributing to the performance of the Authority’s tasks or addressing the priorities laid down in its work programmes, or where the Authority’s assistance is urgently needed by the Commission, particularly in order to deal with crisis situations.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 13/01/2005.