WRITTEN QUESTION E-1635/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 June 2002)

Subject: Food safety in Greece

A single food control authority (EFET) was set up in Greece in 1999. According to reports in the Greek press, however, the formalities involved in conferring official status on the authority have not yet been completed in that the relevant ministerial decisions have not yet been signed by all the responsible ministries. EFET was placed under the control of the Ministry for Development, a decision with which the Ministry for Agriculture did not agree and it has therefore not yet signed the ministerial decision which defines the authority's powers. The Greek press reports state that Community officials have repeatedly identified the operational problems facing EFET and point out that there is a question mark over the safety of consumers' health as there is no authority in Greece coordinating checks.

In what way and when exactly did Commission officials voice their concern over EFET's operating problems? What was the Greek authorities' response? Since when have authorities responsible for food control been operating in the other Member States of the Union? What action will the Commission take to make the Greek authorities realise that it is a matter of urgency for EFET to start operating effectively?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2002)

Since the beginning of 1999, the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection has carried out more than 30 inspections in Greece. The large majority of these inspections concerned food safety issues.

In the course of these inspections, significant weaknesses have been found in food safety control systems in Greece. The findings and conclusions of each inspection and the related recommendations made by the Commission to the Greek authorities have been sent to the Parliament in the usual manner and made publicly available on the Commission's website(1).

Responsibility for food safety controls in Greece is shared between different authorities including the EFET, the Greek Food Authority. The FVO has concluded in a number of its reports that there is a need for a clearer demarcation of responsibilities between the different authorities in Greece, and better co-ordination between them, to ensure more effective and efficient safety control systems throughout the food chain.

Over the past two years the Member of the Commission responsible for Health and Consumer Protection, has had discussions on several occasions with the Greek Ministers for Agriculture and for Development, both in Brussels and in Athens, to express the Commission's concerns about weaknesses in food safety control systems in Greece. He has received assurances from the Greek authorities that there is a serious and determined commitment to correct these weaknesses without delay.

Last February 2002, the Director General and senior officials of the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs visited Athens to review progress in the implementation of an action programme drawn up by the Greek authorities to respond to the recommendations in FVO reports. During that visit, it was agreed that a progress report on implementation would be submitted on a regular basis by the Greek authorities to the Commission. The first report was received in April 2002. This confirms that there has been progress in a number of areas. A further report has been requested recently. In addition a number of inspections will be carried out by the FVO over the next few months to verify progress on-the-spot in Greece in implementing aspects of the action plan.

Although Community legislation does not oblige Member States to create specific structures for the implementation of official control activities, there would appear to be a general movement in that direction. Thus far, six Member States have created authorities with control powers, two have taken political decisions to create such bodies, a further two have set up co-ordination bodies or procedures and another Member State has set up an agency. However, these bodies or agencies have a wide range of responsibilities and functions, which vary considerably from one Member State to another.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/inspections/vi/reports/greece/index_en.html.