Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Communication from the Commission entitled White Paper on Food Safety"
Date: 2000-04-12
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU publication, foodstuff, product safety, public health

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 226/7

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Communication from the Commission entitled
“White Paper on Food Safety”’

(2000/C 226/03)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Commission’s White Paper on Food Safety (COM(1999) 719 final);

having regard to the decision taken by the Commission on 28 January 2000, under the first paragraph of
Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult it on the matter;

having regard to the decision taken by its president on 4 April 2000 to direct Commission 5 for Social
Policy, Public Health, Consumer Protection, Research and Tourism to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to the decision taken by its president on 5 April 2000 to appoint Ms Bunyan (UK/PES) and
Mr Gonzi (I/EPP) as rapporteurs-general, under rule 40(2) of its rules of procedure;

having regard to the general exploratory debate on the subject of the opinion, held by Commission 5 for
Social Policy, Public Health, Consumer Protection, Research and Tourism and Commission 2 for
Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, under rule 40(3);

considering the concern of COR members for a European food policy that guarantees a high level of
consumer health protection;

considering the reference to food safety in the Commission’s communication to the European Parliament,
the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on strategic
objectives 2000-2005: Shaping the new Europe (COM(2000) 154 final),

adopted the following opinion at its 33rd plenary session held on 12 and 13 April 2000 (meeting of
12 April).

The Committee of the Regions,

4. Agrees that the fundamental principles of food safety and
public confidence must be based upon a comprehensive
and integrated approach, encompassing the whole food
chain ‘from farm to table’:

1. Welcomes the Commission’s determination to develop
and implement an EU food policy that ensures the highest
standards of food safety.

— transparency of all actions and opinions;

2. Shares the Commission’s recognition that recent emerg-
encies in aspects of food and feedingstuffs have eroded
public confidence in the safety of food and the effectiveness
of the existing food safety control measures within the EU,
whilst at the same time causing farmers significant loss,
due to the reduction in demand for products considered to
present a risk to health.

— maximum information in clear and understandable
form being provided to allow effective consumer
choice;

— effective traceability of all

ingredients and
feedingstuffs through the foodchain to the consumer,
ensuring at every stage of the process the ability to
identify all ingredients;

food,

3. Believes that an important step in restoring confidence is
the placing of the interests of the consumer clearly above
all other interests in regard to issues of safety, as evidenced
by the decision of the Commission to transfer responsi-
bility for all food safety matters to the Commissioner for
Health and Consumer Protection.

— application of the precautionary principle in appropri-

ate circumstances.

5. Would wish to state its belief that the proper application
of Risk Analysis must be seen as the foundation of future
EU food safety policy.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

8.8.2000

6. Recognises the need to acknowledge and respect

the
diversity and cultural and economic significance of regional
and local traditions and customs with respect to food
production and taste, and therefore of always seeking
the appropriate balance between consumer safety and
consumer choice.

15. Emphasises that the application of the principle of tracea-
bility of food, ingredients and feedstuffs throughout the
food chain is vital in order to ensure that consumers can
rely on the claims made about foods.

7. Believes that the promotion and support of typical food
products from different local traditions represents a very
decisive way to give consumers healthy foods, and at the
same time to help the economies of many rural areas.

8. Endorses the view that there is a need for consistent and
effective enforcement of food safety control measures,
which must be achieved by ensuring the highest standards
of enforcement across the EU.

9. Argues that better compliance with safety standards can
be achieved by promoting and assisting with the adoption
of effective quality assurance systems by food producers.

10. Acknowledges the necessity to understand the particular
requirements of small and medium sized businesses, but
this understanding should not be allowed to compromise
consumer safety.

11. Considers that agricultural legislation should be further
updated in order to guarantee food safety and enable
businesses to receive technical assistance and guidance.

12. Would urge the Commission to recognise the essential role
played by local and regional authorities in the assessment
of food safety risks within their area, in taking action to
minimise risk and in the effective communication of
information and advice to local consumers, food producers
and distributors.

13. Wishes to point out that dietary, nutritional and health
risks attached to food affect the socially excluded and
vulnerable consumers in significantly greater proportion,
and that therefore special consideration should be given to
their particular needs when developing and implementing
food policy.

14. Considers that whilst there is unquestionably a need to
improve food labelling in order to allow consumers to
make informed choices about what they decide to eat, it is
essential that the information provided with food is easily
understandable and therefore helpful to consumers in
making such decisions.

16. Commends the proposals to develop a European Food
Authority in that its creation would demonstrate the
commitment of the EU and Member States to raising the
importance of food safety to the highest level and believes
that the proposals create a context and momentum for
radical review and modernisation of European food safety
controls and coordination.

17. Would encourage the Commission,

in the interests of
creating a culture of transparency, to consider how the
voice of European consumers from all Member States
should be represented in the structure of the European
Food Authority, and how to take into account the voices
of European farmers, food producers and distributors.

18. Would urge the Commission to ensure that sufficient
resources are provided in order that the European Food
Authority can become a centre of scientific excellence and
effectively carry out the significant tasks that are proposed
for it.

19. Recognises the need for clarification of the relationship
between any European Food Authority and Member States’
own national food authorities that have been or are in the
process of being created, so that the work of the European
Food Authority will complement and not duplicate the
activities of these bodies; in particular a clear hierarchy of
duties should be created in order that food authorities in
the Member States are certain as to their responsibilities;
consumers will also then have more confidence in the
advice they are given and the effective functioning of these
authorities.

20. Agrees that real added value from a European Food
Authority will be realised from its role in coordinating the
gathering, analysis and dissemination of information of
the highest quality, particularly in response to emergency
situations.

21. Is of the opinion that there is a need to organise throughout
all Member States an adequate sampling and analysis
programme for human and animal foods; this is important
in order to guarantee the safety of food and also to help
protect European producers from any unfair competition;
and in the case of a negative result, immediate action
should be taken, including the provision of information to
all public authorities, together with the possibility of
blocking any importation which should be attempted from
outside the EU.

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C 226/9

22. Agrees that an effective EU food safety policy must apply
to all food consumed within the EU, not simply that
produced within the EU, and therefore equivalent compre-

hensive and effective controls must be applied to all food
and feedingstuffs entering the EU.

Brussels, 12 April 2000.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Proposal for a European Parliament and Council
Regulation establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and
regarding the labelling of beef and beef products and repealing Council Regulation (EC)
No. 820/97’

(2000/C 226/04)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation establishing a system
for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef
products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No. 820/97 (COM (1999) 487 final — COD 99/0204) (1);

having regard to the decision taken by the Council on 12 November 1999, under Article 152 and the
first paragraph of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the
Committee of the Regions on the matter;

having regard to the COR Bureau decision of 17 November 1999 to direct Commission 2 for Agriculture,
Rural Development and Fisheries to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to the decision taken by its president on 6 January 2000, under rule 39 of the Committee
of the Regions’ Rules of Procedure, to appoint Sir Simon Day (member of Devon County Council,
UK/PPE) as rapporteur-general for the opinion;

having regard to the Draft Opinion (CdR 525/99 rev. 1) adopted by Commission 2 on 24 February 2000
(rapporteur-general: Sir Simon Day),

adopted the following opinion at its 33rd plenary session on 12 and 13 April 2000 (meeting of 12 April).

1. Background

The BSE crisis and other concerns surrounding food
1.1.
safety have produced increasing political and consumer press-
ure for systems of labelling which allow a product to be traced
back down the food chain to its farm of origin and which
provide verifiable assurance of the safe provenance of beef in
particular.

(1) OJ C 376 E, 28.12.1999, p. 42.

1.2.
The Commission responded with the Beef Labelling
Scheme, which was introduced in 1998, under Council
Regulation (EC) No. 820/972 (2). The prior approval which
forms part of this scheme is designed to respond to any claims
made by a retail purchaser about the origin, characteristics and
production conditions of fresh or frozen beef or veal. A
condition of this is that an verification system must be in
place. Approval is not necessary where the label only gives
customers basic information on price and cut.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No. 820/97, 21 April 1997 establishing
a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals
and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (OJ L 117,
7.5.1997, p. 1).