EU Commission aims to simplify food safety rules
The European Commission has appealed to evidence relating to food and food safety legislation.
This decision is in response to stakeholders and member states to request reduced administrative charges, improved legal clarity and increased efficiency in regulatory procedures, while ensuring a high level of food security in Europe.
The objective is to simplify, clarify and modernize legislation in fields such as vegetable protection products, biocidal products, food additives, hygiene requirements and official EU border controls.
The action is part of wider plans to reduce unnecessary regulatory charges while maintaining high standards for food safety and food for food, for human and animal health and for environmental protection.
Pesticides and ESB focus
Comments from farmers, commercial groups, food companies, manufacturers and importers, national authorities, NGOs and research institutes have been encouraged and can be provided until October 14.
The initiative offers actions in several areas such as clarifications related to terminology and transitional measures for the definition of maximum residue levels for pesticides and the modification and renewal of authorizations; as well as notification procedures for national hygiene measures.
It also includes the framework for monitoring spongiform bovine (BSE) and risk management encephalopathy; Flexibility in official plants of plants in border control stations; Accreditation requirements for reference laboratories; and a pesticide application more targeted by drones under safe conditions.
Current ESB rules have been called “obsolete” and limit the EU’s ability to quickly meet new risk assessments, scientific developments and international standards. As the level of risk of disease from ESB has dropped, surveillance requirements, the rules on the risk materials specified (SRM) and commercial restrictions on certain products are no longer proportionate. This imposes unnecessary charges on authorities and food companies, creating regulatory and operational challenges, the EU commission said.
Laboratory border and test controls
Under the official settlement of controls, border control stations cannot release the compliant part of a shipment if another party needs additional verifications, resulting in unnecessary delays. In addition, the accreditation rules for reference laboratories are too rigid and do not take into account the needs of areas such as plant pests or food additives, causing compliance problems.
The introduction of an option for the partial release of the shipments of factories and products from the factory would simplify border control procedures, while operators would avoid the financial consequences associated with the delays in trade and the destruction of perishable goods.
For reference laboratories, complete accreditation for each analysis method can be costly and long, especially for new or rarely used techniques. This can slow urgent responses to emerging challenges. The exemption from accreditation requirements would encourage the development of new methodologies while retaining fundamental quality standards, the EU Commission said.
The EU Commission said it would monitor the use of new flexibilities for the release of partial deposit and, for ESB, it will examine data related to test volumes and URM procedures updates.
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