FOOD LAW/ EUROPEAN FOOD AUTHORITY - Göteborg European Council : Presidency Conclusions

Addressing threats to public health

The European Union must respond to citizens' concerns about the safety and quality of food, use of chemicals and issues related to outbreaks of infectious diseases and resistance to antibiotics. To this end, the European Council:

• notes the Commission's intention to present formal proposals, and invites the Council and the European Parliament to adopt them, so that the chemicals policy is in place by 2004, thereby ensuring that within a generation chemicals are only produced and used in ways which do not lead to a significant impact on health and the environment;
• notes the Commission's intention to present by the end of 2001 Action Plans for tackling issues related to outbreaks of infectious diseases and resistance to antibiotics;
• urges the European Parliament and the Council to profit from the substantial progress achieved and rapidly agree on the final adoption of the European Food Authority and Food Law Regulation in order to comply with the time frame agreed at the Nice and Stockholm European Councils;
• asks that the possibility of the creation of a European surveillance and early warning network on health issues be examined.