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E.U. Fοοd Legislation
European citizens should have access to safe and healthy foods that meet the highest standards. For this purpose, the E.U.Commission has developed a comprehensive legislative approach to food safety and protection of consumers' interests. The cornerstone of this legislative approach is the Regulation 178/2002 which ensures a high level of protection of human health and consumer interests in relation to food, whilst ensuring the effective functioning of the EU internal market. Under this regulation the so called "Hygiene Package» - Hygiene Package has been issued, covering all stages of production, processing, distribution and placing on the market of foods intended for consumption by humans and their control. The new hygiene rules have been adopted in April 2004 by the European Parliament and the Council and became effective on 1 January 2006. They include the following acts:
- Regulation (EC) 882/2004 on official controls for the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
- Regulation (EC) 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin
- Regulation (EC) 854/2004 laying down specific rules for the organization of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption
- Directive 2004/41 / EC repealing certain Directives concerning food hygiene and health conditions for the production and marketing of certain products of animal origin intended for human consumption
These hygiene rules take particular account of the following principles:
- The primary responsibility for food safety lies with the food business operator
- Food safety is been ensured across the food chain, starting with primary production
- General implementation of procedures are based on HACCP principles
- The application of basic common hygiene requirements, possibly further specialized for certain food categories
- The registration or approval of certain food establishments
- The development of good hygiene practice or guides for the application of HACCP principles as a valuable tool to assist food business operators at all levels of the food chain to comply with the new rules
- The flexibility recognized for food produced in remote areas (high mountains, remote islands) and on traditional production methods
The primary production for domestic use and domestic preparation of foodstuffs for private consumption is not regulated by EU legislation. The consolidated EU legislation can be distinguished as follows:
This Includes:
- The basic legislation ie. Regulation 178/2002 and the "Hygiene Package"
- The implementation steps and the transitional provisions of Basic legislation as well as legislation related to the early warning system RASSF, and crisis management.
It should be noted that EU legislation is constantly amended and an important tool for the corresponding authorities in the EU is the following hyperlink for updated health legislation European Commission Food Legislation
| REG (ΕU) 178/2002 | Laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety |
| REG (ΕΚ) 882/2004 | On official controls to verify compliance with feed and food law to rules on health and welfare of animals |
| REG (ΕΚ) 852/2004 | For food hygiene |
| REG (ΕΚ) 853/2004 | Laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin |
| REG (ΕΚ) 854/2004 | For kathorimo specific rules for the organization of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption |
| DIR 2004/41/ΕΚ | Repealing certain Directives concerning food hygiene and health conditions for the production and marketing of certain products of animal origin intended for human consumption and amending Council Directives 89/662 / EEC and 92/118 / EEC and Decision 95/408 / EK Council |
| REG (ΕΚ) 2073/2005 | On microbiological criteria for foodstuffs |
| REG (ΕΚ) 2074/2005 | Laying down implementing measures for certain products under Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 and for the organization of official controls under Regulation (EC) No. 854/2004 and (EC) No. 882/2004, derogating from Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 and amending regulations (EC) No. 853/2004 and (EC) No. 854/2004 |
| REG (ΕΚ) 2076/2005 | Establishing transitional provisions on the implementation of the European Parliament and Council Regulations (EC) No. 853/2004, (EC) No. 854/2004 and (EC) No. 882/2004 and amending Regulations ( EC) No. 853/2004 and (EC) No. 854/2004 |
| REG (ΕΚ) 16/2011 | Laying down implementing measures for the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed |
| DEC 2004/478/ΕΚ | On the adoption of a general crisis management plan for food and feed |
This Includes:
- Provisions applicable to specific sectors such as honey, olive oil, water, fruit juices, etc.
- Provisions regulating specific aspects of animal origin foodstuff such as Salmonella in fresh poultry meat, Trichinella in meat, beef labeling, marketing of eggs and poultry marketing of fishery products, etc.
| REG (ΕΚ ) 1086/11 | Amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No. 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Annex I to Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 as regards salmonella in fresh poultry meat. |
| REG (EK) 543/2008 | Laying down detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) no. 1234/2007 as regards the marketing standards for poultry meat. |
| REG (ΕΚ) 2075/2005 | For specific rules on official controls for Trichinella in meat. |
| REG (ΕΚ) 1760/2000 | Establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine and labeling of beef and beef products from beef and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 820/97. |
| REG (ΕΚ) 1825/2000 | Establishing the detailed rules Regulations (EC) No. 1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the labeling of beef and beef products beef. |
| REG (ΕΚ) 589/2008 | Laying down detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 on marketing standards for eggs. |
| REG (ΕΕ) 458/2013 | Correcting Regulation (EC) No. 589/2008 laying down detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 on marketing standards for eggs. |
| REG (ΕΕ) 1379/2013 | On the common organization of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products, amending Council Regulations (EC) No. 1184/2006 and (EC) No. 1224/2009 and repealing Regulation (EC) No. 104/2000. |
| REG (ΕΟΚ) 1536/92 | Laying down common marketing standards for preserved tuna and bonito. |
| REG (ΕΕ) 1068/2013 | Amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the use diphosphate (E 450), triphosphates salts (E 451) and polyphosphates (E 452) in salted fish. |
| REG (ΕΕ) 1276/2011 | Amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the treatment to destroy viable parasites in fishery products intended for human consumption. |
| DIR 2001/110/ΕΚ | For honey. |
| DIR 2014/63/ΕΕ | 2014 amending Directive 2001/110 / EC on honey. |
| REG. 29/2012 | For olive oil marketing standards. |
| REG (ΕΕ)1308/2013 | Establishing a common organization of agricultural markets and repealing Regulations (EEC) No. 922/72, (EEC) No. 234/79, (EC) No. 1037/2001 and (EC) No. 1234/2007 Council. |
| REG 2568/1991/ΕΟΚ | On the characteristics of olive oil and pomace oil and on the relevant methods. |
| DIR 2012/12/ΕΕ | Amending Directive 2001/112 / EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption. |
| DIR (EK) 98/83/ΕΚ | On the quality of water for human consumption. |
Food additives include: Sweeteners or tabletop sweeteners, dyes, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, emulsifiers. The existing EU legislation on food additives is as follows:
| REG(ΕΚ) 1333/2008 | On Food Additives (conditions and usage criteria) as amended and applied |
| REG (ΕΕ) 1129/2011 | amending Regulation 1333/2008 (Annex II) with a list of all additives used in food. |
| REG (ΕΕ) 231/2012 | for additives specifications |
| REG (ΕΚ) 1332/2008 | For food enzymes |
| REG (ΕΚ) 1334/2008 | on flavorings and certain food ingredients with flavoring properties for use in and on foods |
| REG (ΕΚ) 1881/2006 | For setting maximum levels for certain contaminants foodstuffs |
| REG (ΕΕ) 589/2014 | laying down the sampling and analysis methods for the control of dioxins, dioxin-like PCB and non-dioxin-like PCB levels, in certain foodstuffs and repealing Reg. (EU) No. 252/2012 |
| REG (ΕΚ) 333/2007 | on sampling and analysis for the official control of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels in food. |
| REG (ΕE) 1882/2006 | determination of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of nitrates in certain foodstuffs |
| REG (ΕE) 401/2006 | Determination of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs |
| REG (ΕΟΚ) 315/93 | laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food |
| REG (ΕΚ) 470/2009 | laying down Community procedures for the establishment of residue limits of pharmacologically active substances in foodstuffs of animal origin |
| Οδηγία 96/22/ΕΚ | Prohibiting the use of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists in stockfarming purposes and repealing Directives 81 / 6Q2 / EOK, 88/146 / EOK and 88/299 / EOK |
| REG(ΕΚ) 299/2008 | amending Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin, as regards the implementing powers conferred on the Commission |
| REG 396/2005/ΕΚ | on maximum residue levels of pesticides in food and feed of plant and animal origin and amending Council Directive 91/414 / EEC |
| concerning a coordinated multiannual control program of the Union for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 to ensure compliance with the maximum residue levels of pesticides and to assess the consumer exposure to pesticide residues in and on products of plant and animal foods |
Materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs are considered products fitted into the following categories:
- Packaging materials (bottles, etc.)
- Kitchen and household utensils (eg plates, spoons, pots)
- food manufacturing utensils (factory and household)
- containers (eg tanks, milk tanks, etc.)
- Materials and articles in contact with drinking water, except for permanent public and private water supply equipment.
Specifically, the legislation concerning materials intended to come into contact with food is categorized as follows:
- Regulation - Framework (EC) no. 1935/2004 sets out the general requirements for all materials intended to come into contact with food
- Specific measures - Legislation for specific materials or group of materials from the Regulations list (supplem. I)
- Guides regarding specific compounds or croups of them used in the production of materials intended to come into contact with foods
| REG.1935/2004/ΕΚ | regarding materials and articles intended to come into contact with food and repealing Directives 80/590 / EEC and 89/109 / EEC |
| REG.2023/2006 | regarding on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food |
for plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, and its amendments . |
|
On recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods and amending Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 |
|
To approximate legislation of Member States related to ceramic articles intended to come into contact with food |
|
regarding active and intelligent materials and articles intended to come into contact with food |
|
Relating to materials and articles made of regenerated cellulose film intended to come into contact with food |
Regarding the release of N-nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances from rubber teats and soothers (dummies) of elastomer or rubber |
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Regarding limitation of use for certain epoxy derivatives in materials and articles intended to come into contact with food |
| REG (ΕΚ) 829/2003 | On genetically modified food and animal feed |
| REG (ΕΚ) 830/2003 | Concerning the traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and the traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms and amending Directive 2001/18 / EC |
| to establish a system of formation and assignment of unique identifiers for genetically modified organisms | |
| on the application of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the request for authorization of new genetically modified food and feed, the notification of existing products and adventitious or technically unavoidable presence of genetically modified material which has favorable risk evaluation |
| REG (ΕΕ) 1169/2011 | Regarding on the provision of food information to consumers, amending European Parliament and Council Regulations (EC) No. 1924/2006 and (EC) No. 1925/2006 and repealing Council Directive 87/250 / EEC of Directive 90/496 / EEC, Directive 1999/10 / EC, Directive 2000/13 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67 / EC and 2008/5 / EC and Regulation (EC) No. 608/2004 |
| REG (ΕΕ) 337/2013 | Laying down rules for implementing Regulation 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and Council concerning the country of origin or place of origin for fresh, chilled or frozen meat from swine, sheep, goats and poultry |
| REG(ΕΕ) 1363/2013 | On the provision of food information to consumers concerning the definition of engineered nanomaterials |
| REG (ΕΕ) 609/2013 | For foodstuff intended for infants and young children and foods for special medical purposes, and as substitutes for total diet for weight control and repealing Council Directive 92/52 / EEC of Commission Directives 96/8 / EC, 1999/21 / EC, 2006/125 / EC and 2006/141 / EC, Directive 2009/39 / EC of the European Parliament and the Council and Commission regulations (EC) No. 41/2009 and (EC) No. 953/2009. 609/2013 |
| REG (ΕΚ) 258/97 | Concerning new foods and new food ingredients |
| KAN (EK)1925/06 | Regarding on the addition of vitamins and minerals and certain other substances to foods |
| REG.(ΕΕ) 41/2009 | On the composition and labeling of foodstuffs suitable for people intolerant to gluten |
| REG.(ΕΕ) 828/2014 | On requirements to provide information to consumers on the absence or reduced presence of gluten in foods |
| REG (ΕΚ) 1924/06 | Regarding on nutrition and health claims made on foods |
| REG (ΕΕ) 432/2012 | Establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those relating to risk reduction and disease development and health of children |
| ΚAN(ΕΕ)αρ.907/13 | In setting rules for applications relating to the use of shared descriptions |
| Αποφ. 2013/63/ΕΕ | Establishing guidelines for the application of specific conditions for health claims set out in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 |
| Ενωσιακό Μητρώο | EU register of all approved and Allegations rejected health claims made on foods |