ABSTRACT

This chapter analyzes the EU Regulations adopted to ensure general food and feed hygiene based on the HACCP system and self-control (Regulation (EC) 852/2004). Then, the specific hygiene rules for foods of animal origin (Regulation (EC) 853/2004) are addressed. The other fundamental subject is the review of Regulations applicable to the official controls on products coming from the European Union market and to those on imported products in the European Union market, together with the structure and functioning of the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Consideration is also given to the analysis of flexibility principles for food safety in the EU. There are a few key operative criteria for distinguishing whether a case resulting in the marketing of a hazardous food should be considered as fraud or as non-compliance: violations of the EU laws, intentions behind the event, economic gains and deception of consumers. The EU Food Fraud Network, the administrative assistance and cooperation system and the EU coordinated action are dealt with in the conclusive part together with the 2005/29/EC Directive on unfair commercial practices that is considered to provide a high level of consumer protection in a number of sectors and works as a safety net that fills the gaps, which are not regulated by other EU sectors’ specific rules.