Regulatory Committees assist the European
Commission in the development of food safety measures at all
stages of the food chain. The “from the farm to the
fork” approach covers areas such as food and feed safety,
animal health, animal welfare and plant health.
The Committees play a key role in the
EU decision-making process as Committee members are representatives
of the EU Member States. The Commission may consult the relevant
Regulatory Committee on a proposal. The Committee can then
deliver an Opinion which may allow the measure to be formally
adopted by the Commission in accordance with the appropriate
procedure.
Standing Committee on the
Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) was established
following the adoption of Regulation
(EC) No 178/2002. This Regulation set out the general
principles and requirements of food law. It also established
the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
and laid down procedures for food safety issues which included
the reorganisation of the regulatory committees system.
The Committee’s mandate covers the entire food supply
chain, ranging from animal health issues on the farm to
the product that arrives on the consumer's table, thus significantly
enhancing its ability to target risks to health wherever
they arise in the production of our food. It is chaired
by a European Commission representative. SCFCAH
has eight sections: General Food Law Biological Safety of the Food Chain Toxicological Safety of the Food Chain Controls and Import Conditions Animal Nutrition
Genetically Modified Food and Feed and Environmental Risk (to start in 2004) Animal Health and Animal Welfare Phytopharmaceuticals SCFCAH
replaced the Standing Veterinary Committee, the Standing
Committee on Foodstuffs, the Standing Committee on Animal
Nutrition. It also took over the Standing Committee on Plant
Health’s responsibility for plant protection products
and pesticides residues.
There are also several other Regulatory
Committees:
