“This additional decision tool was developed separately by an external contractor, covering not only microbiological but also chemical and nutritional hazards,” Merten explains. “The difference lies in that this decision tool concerns the choice of methodology, while the BIOHAZ Panel report on risk ranking toolbox is more specific, as it evaluates existing tools for microbiological hazards instead of methodologies for a broader range of hazards.”
Trade Issues
Relative to the impact of the Food Safety Modernization Act and U.S. food regulations on food production in Europe as related to European exports to the U.S., Dr. Vågsholm says there is current discussion in the EU on the equivalence of the different food safety risk management philosophies.
“This is now an issue with the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the proposed free trade agreement between the EU and the U.S.,” he relates. “Issues of contention appear to include the use of decontaminants such as chlorine on broiler carcasses, which the EU thinks is wrong, while acceptable in the U.S., and the sale of unpasteurized milk products, most notably soft cheeses, brie, and camber, which the EU permits subject to hygiene regulations, while apparently the U.S. is not in favor of. The idea in the TTIP talks is that each side should be able to keep their rules, while recognizing the achievements of the other side.”
Concerning the TTIP, Dr. Vågsholm is quick to point out that food safety should be one of the easier of the difficult issues to resolve. “The key is that the EU and U.S. need to have a good mechanism for agreeing on the scientific facts, which can then be the basis of discussing equivalence or compensating measures,” he says. “Previously in trade disputes between the EU and U.S. on the issues of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), hormone treated beef, and decontamination of broilers and other meats, there has been a politically charged exchange of views with the consequence of difficulties to agree on the facts. Actually, the same applies to the EU and Russia food safety discussion, too.”
Leake, doing business as Food Safety Ink, is a food safety consultant, auditor, and award-winning journalist based in Wilmington, N.C. Reach her at [email protected].
Read the latest developments since the 2013 HORSEMEAT SCANDAL.
Clarifications in the EU
The European Union (EU) is a politico-economic organization of 28 sovereign member states that are located primarily in Europe. (Before the organization of the EU, the bloc was known as the Common Market.)
The EU operates through a system of supranational institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the member states. These institutions are the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the Court of Auditors, and the European Parliament.
The European Parliament is elected every five years by EU citizens.
The following 28 countries are currently members of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.
Some notable European countries are not in the EU, namely Norway and Switzerland. Norway is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), together with Iceland and Liechtenstein, while Switzerland has a comprehensive trade agreement with EU.
The EEA shares the same food safety rules as the EU, while there are separate policies between Norway and the EU on agricultural subsidies.
The EU single market includes harmonized food safety regulations all over EU, and which Norway and Switzerland complies with through the EEA and trade agreement respectively.
ACCESS THE FULL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE
To view this article and gain unlimited access to premium content on the FQ&S website, register for your FREE account. Build your profile and create a personalized experience today! Sign up is easy!
GET STARTED
Already have an account? LOGIN
