EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed / 40 years of keeping consumers safe
The European Union (EU) is celebrating the 40 years of the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed.
Food safety is an issue of national and international significance, an issue that affects all countries and has a substantial impact on both public health and economic activity. Operating since 1979, RASFF is one of the great success stories of the EU’s integrated approach to food safety, showing the power of communication and collaboration. By providing a system for the swift exchange of information between member countries and the coordination of response actions to food safety threats, it has become an indispensable tool for protecting and reassuring consumers.
The European Commission continues to invest in further shaping this essential tool that is contributing to high food safety standards in the EU, preventing dangerous food or feed from reaching the consumer and allowing swift action to be taken to remove such products from the market.
Food safety has an impact on the wellbeing of citizens
Ever since the FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), was established the RASFF has been a keen supporter and is now communicating on a daily basis with the INFOSAN secretariat at WHO headquarters.
Dirk Lange from the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety at the European Commission said: “In the EU, RASFF’s main purpose is to keep consumers safe, informed and protected. This is the priority when dealing with food and feed crises”.
Protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in international food trade, “places Codex at the centre of international debates”, said Lange. “The RASFF has been instrumental in instilling trust in European consumers as food safety has an impact on the wellbeing of citizens”.
Read more
Download the latest RSFF publications
Photo: European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella KYRIAKIDES
At the heart of the Codex mandate are the core values of collaboration, inclusiveness, consensus building and transparency. Governmental and non-governmental, public and private organizations alike play a vital role in ensuring Codex texts are of the highest quality and based on sound science.
Codex would have little authority in the field of international standard setting if it did not welcome and acknowledge the valuable contributions made by observers. Expert technical bodies, industry and consumer associations
contribute to the standard-setting process in a spirit of openness, collaboration and transparency.
Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can apply for observer status in Codex in order to attend and put forward their views at every stage of the standard-setting process.
Current Codex Alimentarius Commission
EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed / 40 years of keeping consumers safe
The European Union (EU) is celebrating the 40 years of the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed.
Food safety is an issue of national and international significance, an issue that affects all countries and has a substantial impact on both public health and economic activity. Operating since 1979, RASFF is one of the great success stories of the EU’s integrated approach to food safety, showing the power of communication and collaboration. By providing a system for the swift exchange of information between member countries and the coordination of response actions to food safety threats, it has become an indispensable tool for protecting and reassuring consumers.
The European Commission continues to invest in further shaping this essential tool that is contributing to high food safety standards in the EU, preventing dangerous food or feed from reaching the consumer and allowing swift action to be taken to remove such products from the market.
Food safety has an impact on the wellbeing of citizens
Ever since the FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), was established the RASFF has been a keen supporter and is now communicating on a daily basis with the INFOSAN secretariat at WHO headquarters.
Dirk Lange from the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety at the European Commission said: “In the EU, RASFF’s main purpose is to keep consumers safe, informed and protected. This is the priority when dealing with food and feed crises”.
Protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in international food trade, “places Codex at the centre of international debates”, said Lange. “The RASFF has been instrumental in instilling trust in European consumers as food safety has an impact on the wellbeing of citizens”.
Read more
Download the latest RSFF publications
Photo: European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella KYRIAKIDES
Codex and Observer
around the world since ancient times.
We might not always know where it comes from,
but we expect it to be available, safe and of good quality.
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