European Food Authority

We are now beginning to discuss the proposal for a European food authority.

Why should a European food authority be an essential part of that structure of change?

A European food authority is set up and we re-establish the principles of policy on foodstuffs.

I insist that it is an issue which should be included in the policy agenda of the European Food Authority.

The key aim of setting up the European Food Authority is to regain that trust.

We have been trying for years to restore consumer confidence and the European Food Authority is one way of doing so.

The integrity of a European food authority will be based on independence and strong scientific leadership in the field of food safety.

That is where the European Food Authority comes into its own: it must be a beacon of objectivity.

This means that the European Food Authority is liable to be a purely decorative body.

We are also envisaging the establishment of a European food authority by 2002 as an essential complement to the new food safety regime.

The traumatism caused by the mad cow epidemic and by other similar threats is forcing us to set up an independent European food authority.

As far as that is concerned, a strong European food authority with supervisory and monitoring powers is in fact also indispensable for such policy.

It could be useful to the consumer to set up a European Food Authority to see to food safety at Union level.

The European food authority will be a key ingredient in the EU's food safety regime in the years ahead.

However, I was disappointed with the nature of the proposal for the establishment of a European food authority in the recent White Paper.

The European Food Authority must be a beacon of objectivity, and it must join forces with national authorities, that is obvious.

In recent years, a number of gratifying measures have been adopted. For example, we have created the European Food Authority.

When we established the European Food Authority, we emphasised how important it was that communication should be commensurate with the level of risk.

The most important aspect of this legislation consists of creating an operational European food authority with a high degree of scientific skill and considerable independence.

The European Food Authority must operate independently of the Commission, so that it can intervene as quickly as possible in any crisis.

The report gives responsibility for authorising GMOs to the European Food Authority.

Mr President, Commissioner, the European Food Authority is of fundamental importance to the people in our Community.

This regulation setting up a European Food Authority will, I hope, help to restore the confidence of European consumers.

The European Food Authority requires stable legal foundations, so that it does not become the pawn of any special interests even before it begins its work.

The official objective of the Commission' s proposal on the European Food Authority is to improve the prevention of crises such as mad cow disease.