Five guiding principles

Food safety is the fruit of an ever stronger requirement and shared by all the players involved in the food chain, from farmers through to distributors. It is expressed on a national level as well as on a European level through the development of regulations, reinforcement of checks, the ever-improving organisation of surveillance with ever more precise analytical tools.

Five major principles guide the policy on the safety of food in France:

Producers, processors and distributors (operators) have the first responsibility

The adaptation of regulations is continuous in order to respond to scientific and technical developments in the health field.

The system of approval and monitoring of establishments is under the responsibility of public services who have the power to sanction when deemed necessary.

In 2003, the Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing (DGAL, Directorate General of Food) conducted more than 450 000 checks on animals, inspected more than 12 000 abattoirs and cutting plants, more than 6 000 establishments in the dairy sector and 5600 in the fishing sector. 25 000 checks relating to animal protection were carried out at animal holding sites or during transportation of animals.

In 2004, the DGAL carried out 200 000 documentary inspections relating to animal health and protection, 4 000 checking operations in abattoirs and 5 000 in cutting plants.

The DGAL and the DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and the Repression of Fraud) carried out 2641 inspection visits in 2003. The DGAl visits the breeders as well as establishments, mainly under the programme for approval or registration. The DGCCRF checks, for its part, marketed products. Under this responsibility it carried out 2615 labelling checks (raw materials, mixed foods, additives, ...).

The national alert network and the community alert network ensure health monitoring and mobilisation in case of potential or known danger.

The authorities are capable of managing the risks, particularly in urgent situations.

To control risks, the risks must first of all be known. Reliance on scientific expertise is therefore indispensable when facing a known or potential danger. It is with the risk evaluation provided by the experts that the authorities can, as the risk management officers, take the measures necessary. France believes that the separation between the management and evaluation of risks allows greater objectivity in making decisions. It has at its disposal a very high level of scientific expertise in respect of health risks, of which a part is found within AFSSA (French Agency for Food Safety), created in July 1998. In the decision-making process the government can also, for its part, take into account other dimensions of a socio-economic or cultural character, while being vigilant to ensure the consumer enjoys an optimal level of safety.