| Hygiene requirements within the European Union
Product information
|  | | In the year 2005, the hygiene provisions of the European Union were elevated to regulation level, making
them direct and applicable law in all EU member states. The new hygiene legislation is commonly
referred to as the “Hygiene Package”. |
What comprises the Hygiene Package?
The so-called “Basic Regulation”, Regulation
(EC) 178/2002, was passed in January of 2002. Its
objective, as well as the objective of all further provisions,
is to create a uniform standard for food hygiene
and food safety within the single European market,
which will ensure a high level of consumer protection
without compromising the free movement of goods.
The regulation sets down the general principles and
requirements of food law; it also governs the duties of
food business operators to inform and to cooperate
with the authorities, as well as an obligation for product
traceability. It also includes provisions for establishing
the European Food Safety Authority, for laying
down procedures in matters of food safety, and for the
implementation of an early warning system for emergencies.
On the basis of this regulation, all the others
came into being. |
| A general regulation on food hygiene (Regulation (EC)
852/2004) governs the basic requirements for companies
that manufacture, process, package or place
foodstuffs on the market. Specific rules for food of animal
origin are set forth in Regulation (EC) 853/2004,
which is supplemented by Regulation (EC) 2073/2005
on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. The package
is completed by the addition of two regulations
on the control and inspection of foodstuffs, Regulation
(EC) 854/2004 for foods of animal origin, and
Regulation (EC) 882/2004 for the general control of
food business operators. |
Fundamental changes
By applying the same requirements,
the hygiene package places food and
animal feed on an equal footing for the
first time ever. This is further enhanced
by Regulation (EC) 183/2005 and its
provisions for feed hygiene. The package
also clearly assigns responsibility for
food and feed safety to the food or feed
business operator. The hygiene package
is supplemented by the new Regulation
(EC) 1935/2004 on materials and
articles intended for food contact. |
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