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Food Law Internet Project (F.L.I.P.)

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Egypt

General Information

Key Legal Documents

Links to Organisations involved in Food Law

Information (listed by date)

2007

• See: JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME FAO/WHO COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR THE NEAR EAST - Fourth Session Amman , Jordan ; 26th of February - 1st of March 2007: INFORMATION AND REPORTS ON THE FOOD CONTROL AND FOOD SAFETY ISSUES, INCLUDING THE USE OF CODEX STANDARDS AND CONSUMER PARTICIPATION IN FOOD STANDARD SETTING - Available at: ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/ccnea4/ne04_08e.pdf

2005

• Extract from "REPORT OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE FAO/WHO COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR THE NEAR EAST REGION" Amman , Jordan , 7 - 10 March 2005. Available from: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/report/637/AL28_40e.pdf

In Egypt , food safety and control activities are multi-sectoral; however, the main coordination role in that area is carried out by the Ministry of Health, Environment and Population (MOHEP).

The bodies involved in food control in Egypt are:

i. The Ministry of Health and Population through: Food Safety and Control Directorate; Public Health Laboratories; and National Institute of Nutrition .

ii. The Ministry of Agriculture through: Reference Laboratory for safety analysis of food of animal origin; Central Laboratory for pesticide residues and heavy metals in food and feed; and Egypt Biosafety System.

iii. The Ministry of External Trade and Industry through: Egyptian Organization for Standardization; General Organization for Import and Export Control; and the Ministry of Supply.

As means of coordination, food control activities are coordinated through the Food Safety Supreme Committee (MOHEP) which also includes the Codex Committee and Food Specification Committee (EOS) and the Committee of Rejected Consignments (GOIEC).

Codex has emphasized consumer protection as one of its main objectives. Since the 1990s Codex has recommended continuing and strengthening consumer participation in food related decision making at national and international levels. The National Codex Committee, with its subsidiary Committees, has given top priority to the protection and interests of consumers in the formulation of food standards. Consumer groups were granted an observer status in 1999 and the Commission continued to involve consumer interests in its work.

There are in Egypt almost 66 consumer protection associations. They are represented in the National Codex Committee and in the various technical committees established by the Egyptian Organization for Standardization (ESO). A Consumer Protection Unit was created within ESO to undertake consumer-related activities, in addition to issuing a newsletter on a regular basis. There are also consumer protection associations related to the Ministry of Supply and Internal Commerce.

2002

• Document: Improving Efficiency and Transparency in Food Safety Systems Sharing Experiences.
• Source: FAO/WHO Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators, Marrakesh, Morocco, 28 - 30 January 2002.
• Extract: In Egypt food control functions are multisectoral. The Ministry of Health and Population administers food control through the Food Safety and Control Administration, the Institute of Nutrition and the Public Health Laboratories. These bodies act through ministerial laws and regulations; food inspectors; the Institute of Nutrition and public health laboratories (technically supervised by the Central Public Health Laboratories-CPHL). The Agricultural Department includes the Reference Laboratory for Safety Analysis of Food of Animal Origin; the Central Laboratory for Food & Feed; the General Organization for Veterinary Services and Egypt's Biosafety system and committee. The Ministry of Industry concerns itself with food safety through the standardization of food commodities; the Ministry of External Trade with food control activities for import and export and the Ministry of Supply with food inspections at local market level. The passing of one basic food law for Egypt is currently under review.
• Link: http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/004/Y3680E/Y3680E09.htm

• Document: Country Report Proposed by Egypt - by Dr. Zeinb Abd El Haleem and Dr. Akila Hamza.
• Source: FAO/WHO G lobal F orum of F ood S afety R egulators, Marrakech , Morocco , 28 – 30 January 2002.
• Extract: Laws and regulation related food safety are issued by different ministries: health – agriculture –industry, trade and supply economics. Ministry of health (MOHP) has the role of implementing the basic laws 281/94 and 10/1966 also several ministerial decrees have been issued by the ministry of health especially in the area of food additives. A workshop had been organized by the food safety and control department M.O.H.P, ILSI and W.H.O in June 2002 to discuss and review the existing food regulation. The main objective was to have one basic food law. Different participant involved in food in Egypt shared the workshop activities. The workshop succeeded in having a draft for one basic food law, which is going to be circulated reviewed, than approved to be put into action.MOHP have an active participation the different national committees at the Egyptian organization for standardization (E.O.S). The enforcement of our national food regulations is administered by the food safety and control department at MOHP such administration is necessary to ensure effective supervision and control and to take follow up action as may be required. Food control department coordinates also the food control activities at the different level in the country through: Supreme High committee of food safety, the committee is formed at the MOHP from members of the different governmental control authorities involved in addition to other members from academies and research institutes and the universities. It has the responsibility of different issues in the area of food safety to reach conclusion which help in solving problems, list of additives and contaminants are issued and developed by the committee. Committee of rejected imported food. The committee is formed at the MOHP from members of the different responsible ministries in addition to other members from the research institutes and universities. It has the responsibility to discuss any problems related to imported food.
• Link: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/004/ab424e.pdf

Information last updated - January 2007