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ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Languages" >Languages</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/principles-countries-history/eu-made-easy_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="EU made easy" >EU made easy</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem ecl-menu__see-all"><a href="/principles-countries-history_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-link--icon ecl-menu__sublink" ><span class="ecl-link__label">See all</span><svg class="ecl-icon ecl-icon--xs ecl-icon--rotate-180 ecl-link__icon" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true" ><use xlink:href="/themes/contrib/oe_theme/dist/eu/images/icons/sprites/icons.svg#arrow-left"></use></svg></a></li></ul></div></li><li class="ecl-menu__item ecl-menu__item--has-children" data-ecl-menu-item data-ecl-has-children aria-haspopup aria-expanded="false" id="ecl-menu-item-ecl-menu-1282520893-2"><a href="/institutions-law-budget_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__link" data-untranslated-label="Institutions, law, budget" data-ecl-menu-link id="ecl-menu-item-ecl-menu-1282520893-2-link" >Institutions, law, budget</a><button class="ecl-button ecl-button--ghost ecl-menu__button-caret ecl-button--icon-only" type="button" data-ecl-menu-caret aria-label="Access item's children" aria-describedby="ecl-menu-item-ecl-menu-1282520893-2-link" aria-expanded="false" ><span class="ecl-button__container"><svg class="ecl-icon ecl-icon--xs ecl-icon--rotate-180 ecl-button__icon" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true" data-ecl-icon><use xlink:href="/themes/contrib/oe_theme/dist/eu/images/icons/sprites/icons.svg#corner-arrow"></use></svg></span></button><div class="ecl-menu__mega" data-ecl-menu-mega ><ul class="ecl-menu__sublist"><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/institutions-law-budget/institutions-and-bodies_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Institutions and bodies" 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the EU" >Living in the EU</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/live-work-study/travelling-eu_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Travelling in the EU" >Travelling in the EU</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/live-work-study/participate-interact-vote_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Participate, interact, vote" >Participate, interact, vote</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/live-work-study/immigration-eu_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Immigration to the EU" >Immigration to the EU</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/live-work-study/working-eu_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Working in the EU" >Working in the EU</a></li><li 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href="/news-and-events/events_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Events" >Events</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/news-and-events/news-and-stories_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Featured news" >Featured news</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem" data-ecl-menu-subitem ><a href="/news-and-events/press-releases_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-menu__sublink" data-untranslated-label="Latest news from EU institutions and bodies" >Latest news from EU institutions and bodies</a></li><li class="ecl-menu__subitem ecl-menu__see-all"><a href="/news-and-events_en" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone ecl-link--icon ecl-menu__sublink" ><span class="ecl-link__label">See all</span><svg class="ecl-icon ecl-icon--xs ecl-icon--rotate-180 ecl-link__icon" focusable="false" aria-hidden="true" ><use 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class="ecl-u-type-heading-2">Ensuring safe food from farm to fork</h2> <div class="ecl"><p>Health protection is the aim of all EU laws and standards in the agriculture, animal husbandry and food production sectors. An extensive body of EU-wide law covers the entire food production and processing chain within the EU, as well as imported and exported goods.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/summary/chapter/food_safety.html?root_default=SUM_1_CODED%3D30&locale=en" class="ecl-link">Summaries of EU legislation on food safety</a></li> </ul> <p>EU countries implement these harmonised standards and establish controls to enforce them. The EU audits the application and effectiveness of the laws and controls, and also provides training to the responsible EU and international authorities.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://better-training-for-safer-food.ec.europa.eu/training/?redirect=0" class="ecl-link">Training on EU food law, standards and rules</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="https://food.ec.europa.eu/index_en" class="ecl-link">EU food safety policy</a> and action is concentrated in 4 main areas of protection:</p> <ul> <li>Food hygiene: food businesses, from farms to restaurants, must comply with EU food law, including those importing food to the EU.</li> <li>Animal health: sanitary controls and measures for pets, farmed animals and wildlife monitor and manage diseases, and trace the movement of all farm animals.</li> <li>Plant health: detection and eradication of pests at an early stage prevents spreading and ensures healthy seeds.</li> <li>Contaminants and residues: monitoring keeps contaminants away from food and animal feed. Maximum acceptable limits apply to domestic and imported food and feed products.</li> <li><a href="https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/rasff_en" class="ecl-link">Alert system for food and feed (RASFF)</a></li> <li><a href="https://food.ec.europa.eu/animals/traces_en" class="ecl-link">Animal tracing system (TRACES)</a></li> <li><a href="https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/pesticides_en" class="ecl-link">EU pesticides database</a></li> <li><a href="https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/plant-health-and-biosecurity/europhyt/network_en" class="ecl-link">Plant health notifications and interceptions (EUROPHYT)</a></li> </ul> <p>The European food safety authority (EFSA) provides independent risk assessments and scientific advice which inform the EU’s food safety standards.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics" class="ecl-link">EFSA’s scientific work by area</a></li> </ul></div> </div> <div class="ecl-u-mb-2xl"> <a id="paragraph_154"></a> <div id="block-topicsfoodsafety" class="ecl-u-mt-l"> <h2 class="ecl-u-type-heading-2">Publication</h2> <div class="ecl-content-item-block"><div class="ecl-row"><div class="ecl-content-item-block__item contextual-region ecl-u-mb-l ecl-col-12 last-item-column last-item"><article class="ecl-content-item" ><picture class="ecl-picture ecl-picture--zoom ecl-content-item__picture ecl-content-item__picture--large ecl-content-item__picture--left" data-ecl-picture-link ><img class="ecl-content-item__image" src="https://european-union.europa.eu/sites/default/files/styles/oe_theme_ratio_3_2_medium/public/2020-08/food-safety_en.jpg?itok=nQAD3-UL" alt="Ensuring food is safe (2018)" ></picture><div class="ecl-content-block ecl-content-item__content-block" data-ecl-auto-init="ContentBlock" data-ecl-content-block ><div class="ecl-content-block__title"data-ecl-title-link><a href="https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/b70d1b20-499a-11e7-aea8-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-76151396" class="ecl-link ecl-link--standalone" >Ensuring food is safe (2018)</a></div></div></article></div></div></div> </div> </div> <div class="ecl-u-mb-2xl"> <a id="paragraph_155"></a> <h2 class="ecl-u-type-heading-2">Related EU topics</h2> <div class="ecl"><ul> <li><a href="/priorities-and-actions/actions-topic/agriculture_en">Agriculture</a></li> <li><a href="/priorities-and-actions/actions-topic/health_en">Health</a></li> <li><a href="/priorities-and-actions/actions-topic/environment_en">Environment</a></li> </ul></div> </div> <div class="ecl-u-mb-2xl"> <a id="paragraph_156"></a> <h2 class="ecl-u-type-heading-2">Related events and information</h2> <div class="ecl"><ul> <li><a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/events_en?facet__select__field_core_topics=370&facet__select__field_core_location:country=0&facet__select__field_event_organisers=0&facet__checkboxes__field_event_external_event=on&facet__select__field_core_event_collection=0&facet__select__field_core_priorities=0&facet__select__field_core_policies=0&facet__select__field_core_pages=0&facet__select__field_core_departments=0">Find upcoming food safety events across EU institutions and locations</a></li> <li><a href="https://op.europa.eu/en/browse-by-subject?p_p_id=eu_europa_publications_portlet_subject_filter_SubjectFilterPortlet_INSTANCE_it9t7q31ik5d&p_p_lifecycle=1&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=maintop&p_p_col_count=1&_eu_europa_publications_portlet_subject_filter_SubjectFilterPortlet_INSTANCE_it9t7q31ik5d_javax.portlet.action=subject&userLocale=en&elementType=2&SEARCH_TYPE=BROWSE_BY_SUBJECT&selectedSubjectId=6569&facet.eurovoc.domain=28&facet.eurovoc.subdomain=2841&facet.eurovoc.subject=6569">Browse the library for publications on food safety</a></li> <li><a href="/contact-eu/social-media-channels_en">Stay connected through social media</a></li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ecl-row"> <div class="ecl-col-s-12"> <div> <div id="block-ewcms-theme-socialshare"> <div class="ecl-social-media-share"> <p class="ecl-social-media-share__description"> Share this page </p> <script 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