Brussels, 17 July 2000: Word Processed.
Commission proposes new food safety hygiene rules.
The most radical shake up for 25 years of the Community's food safety hygienerules was announced today by David Byrne, Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner.
Under the proposals, contained in 4 Regulations, food operatorsright through the food chain will bear primary
responsibility for foodsafety. The new regulations will merge, harmonise and simplify very detailedand complex
hygiene requirements previously scattered over 17 existingdirectives. They innovate in making a single,
transparent hygiene policyapplicable to all food and all food operators, from the farm to the table,together
with effective instruments to manage food safety and any futurefood crises throughout the food chain.
The focus is on setting objectiveswhile leaving business flexibility in deciding the safety measures to take,
rather than prescribing them in great detail.
"This package is ofstrategic importance in achieving
my food safety objectives", saidDavid Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection.
Thelegislation as developed since 1964 in response to the emerging needs ofthe internal market took account
of a high level of protection. But itwas not designed to fit the high consumer health protection standards
wehave set ourselves for the new millennium. We have learnt our lesson fromthe food crises of the nineties.
I am confident that with this systematicset of uniform rules we are laying the groundwork for filling the
gapsin the existing legislation and enhancing food safety throughout the foodchain. Food operators large
and small will find this simplified and transparentset of rules easier to apply. They give them a clear
responsibility formaking sure food is safe, while leaving them more freedom and flexibilityin deciding how
to achieve that in their own premises."
Basic principles.
The basic principles under
lying the new hygiene rules are first the introductionof the farm to the table principle to hygiene policy.
Currently there isno systematic and all embracing hygiene regime covering all food in allsectors, but rather
a patchwork of rules for specific sectors and typesof produce with gaps notably at primary production level
(i.e. farms).
A second important the principle is the primary responsibility of foodproducers for the
safety of food through the use of programmes for self-checkingand modern hazard control techniques.
The implementation of a harmonisedHazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system will become
obligatoryfor all non-primary food operators.
This type of self-checking programmes are already
in place in parts of the food industry, notably in larger foodfactories, but were not yet required in for
example slaughterhouses. HACCPprescribes a logical series of steps to identify throughout the productionchain
points where control is critical to food safety and to focus on thespecific hazards particular to the business
concerned.
In most food business checking the quality of raw materials, avoiding bacterial contamination
(for example salmonella), maintaining the cold chain during storage andtransport and appropriate anti-bacterial
heat treatment are critical incontrolling safety. Companies will be obliged to keep records of safetychecks
carried out under HACCP for surveillance purposes. On farms, Codesof Good Practice are to be used as the safety
management instrument giventhat for the moment full HACCP implementation is considered over-ambitiousin the
farming context.
A third key principle is the traceability of allfood and food ingredients.
To achieve this compulsory registration of allfood businesses is introduced. Such registration numbers
must follow products.Record keeping enabling to identify suppliers of ingredients and foodsis made obligatory.
Producers must also put in place procedures for thewithdrawal from the market of products presenting a
serious risk to consumerhealth.
The basic hygiene rules which are part of standard operating
proceduresof food businesses cleanliness of premises, washing hands before handlingfood, etc remain as before.
Flexibility .
The implementation of harmonised hygiene rules has in the past proved difficultin
traditional food production and in food businesses in remote islands,secluded mountain areas and other
geographically isolated regions. "Theresponsibility for adapting the rules to such local situations
is leftto Member States since they are better placed to judge and find appropriatesolutions, provided the
basic principle of food safety is not compromised",David Byrne said. "This is an issue that has
been emphasised to meon visits to Member States and I am pleased to deliver on measures to introduceenhanced
flexibility".
Implementation of a HACCP system implies theinvolvement of staff with specialised
skills, which small and medium enterprises(SMEs) may not have. Therefore special arrangements to facilitate
HACCPimplementation in SMEs are foreseen, such as the development of sectorspecific codes of good hygienic
practice. Such sectoral codes can givefor example small cheese producers more detailed indications on hazardson
controls.
Additional hygiene rules for food of animal origin .
A second proposal for a regulation sets out specific additional hygiene rules forfood of animal origin, such as meat and processed meat products,
fisheryproducts, dairy products etc. In comparison with the existing legislationwhich is in many respects very
detailed and prescriptive, the new textintroduces more flexibility.
The intention is that in the longer
term,with the implementation of the HACCP framework further simplification willbecome feasible. At the same time
new rules to reduce contamination ofcarcasses at slaughter are introduced, and a certain level of detail
ismaintained in view of the special risks in this area. The Commission willevaluate the experience with this
more flexible approach to find the rightbalance between streamlining and the need for detailed rules.
Controlsby national authorities.
The third proposal logically regroups the obligationsof the veterinary
authorities in the Member States, thus making a startwith the separation of responsibilities and with the
introduction of thefarm to fork principle. More updated inspection and control proceduresfor ante- and post
mortem inspection of animals at slaughter are to beput forward within this framework on a solid scientific
basis - as foreseenin the White Paper on Food safety for September 2001. The current proposalallows the
Member States more flexibility in setting up veterinary controls.For example in meat cutting plants controls
by trained meat inspectorsacting under the responsibility of a qualified vet will be sufficient.A major
Commission initiative to revamp food controls is scheduled in theWhite Paper for later this year.
The fourth proposal recasts, updates and improves the transparency of animal health measures which were
scatteredover seven different directives. Finally a proposal for a directive repeals17 existing directives
while leaving the implementing decisions in force.
Legislative process .
The proposals take the form of Council and ParliamentRegulations rather than Directives to ensure uniform application, better
transparency and to facilitate rapid updating in the light of new technicaland scientific developments.
They are next to be discussed by the EuropeanParliament and the Council and to be finalised and adopted
in co-decisionprocedure. Commissioner Byrne is making a first presentation of the proposalsto the
Agriculture Council today.
The Regulations once adopted by EP andCouncil will replace
Directive 9343/EEC on the hygiene of foodstuffs and16 product specific Council Directives (see annex).
Annex
Directives withdrawn
Directive 64/433/EEC (fresh meat)
Directive 71/118/EEC (poultrymeat) - Directive72/461/EEC (fresh meat) - Directive 77/96/EEC
(trichina examination) - Directive77/99/EEC (meat products) - Directive 80/215/EEC (meat products)
Directive89/362/EEC (milking hygiene) - Directive 89/437EEC (egg products) - Directive91/492/EEC
(live bivalve molluscs) - Directive 91/493/EEC (fisheryproducts) - Directive 91/494/EEC (poultrymeat)
Directive 91/495/EEC(rabbit meat and farmed game meat) - Directive 92/45/EEC (game meat) - Directive92/46/EEC
(milk and milk products) - Directive 92/48/EEC (fishing vessels) -Directive 93/43 (foodstuffs)
Directive 94/65/EC (minced meat).