Two-thirds of EU regulations refer to agriculture, food safety and public health protection, Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has stated, adding that Serbia is working intensively on chapters dealing with these demanding areas.
These are Chapter 12, related to phytosanitary inspection and food safety, Chapter 28 on consumer protection and public health and Chapter 11, concerning common agricultural policy and rural development.
“Some of these chapters have opening benchmarks, they are very complex and require a lot of joint and intersector work of all members of the Government and all those who are engaged in food production and distribution,” Joksimović said today after visiting the Directorate for National Reference Laboratories in Belgrade.
The Minister has assessed that it is a very complex process, requiring not only a change of regulations but also the introduction of specific systems and institutions, such as the Directorate for National Reference Laboratories.
Joksimović has emphasised that the opening of the Directorate helps Serbia align with the highest EU regulations and standards.
“There is a long journey ahead of us, but this is an important step that will significantly improve the quality control of food products and health protection of our citizens, while contributing to the promotion and placement of agricultural products on foreign markets.”
Joksimović has recalled that in 2000, the EU adopted the so-called White Paper on food safety that prescribes high standards in this area and implies a new concept of control “from farm to table”.
“This means that everyone in the food safety chain is connected, from producers to state authorities and inspection services,” the Minister has explained.
Source: Tanjug
