Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
Modified by
Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 29 September 2003adapting to Council Decision 1999/468/EC the provisions relating to committees which assist the Commission in the exercise of its implementing powers laid down in instruments subject to the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the EC Treaty, 32003R1882, October 31, 2003
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the european parliament and of the councilof 29 April 2004on the hygiene of foodstuffs, 32004R0852, April 30, 2004
Corrected by
Corrigendum to Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, 31993L0043R(02), September 5, 1995
Council Directive 93/43/EECof 14 June 1993on the hygiene of foodstuffsTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and in particular Article 100a thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,In cooperation with the European ParliamentOJ No C 174, 23. 11. 1992; andOJ No C 150, 31. 5. 1993.,Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social CommitteeOJ No C 223, 31. 8. 1992, p. 16.Whereas the free movement of foodstuffs is an essential pre-condition for the completion of the internal market; whereas this principle implies confidence in the standard of safety of foodstuffs for human consumption in free circulation, and in particular their standard of hygiene, throughout all stages of preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storing, transportation, distribution, handling and offering for sale or supply to the consumer;Whereas the protection of human health is of paramount concern;Whereas this protection has already been the subject of Council Directive 89/397/EEC of 14 June 1989 on the official control of foodstuffsOJ No L 186, 30. 6. 1989, p. 23. as well as of more specific rules in this field; whereas an important objective of such controls is food hygiene; whereas Directive 89/397/EEC concentrates on inspection, sampling and analysis and should be supplemented by provisions aimed at improving the level of food hygiene and increasing confidence in the standard of hygiene of foodstuffs in free circulation;Whereas the general rules of hygiene for foodstuffs to be observed at the time of preparation, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storing, transportation, distribution, handling and offering for sale or supply to the consumer must be harmonized in order to protect human health;Whereas the use of hazard analysis, risk assessment and other management techniques to identify, control and monitor critical points is recognized;Whereas microbiological criteria and temperature control criteria may be adopted for certain classes of foodstuffs; whereas, if adopted, they should be in accordance with scientifically accepted general principles;Whereas Member States shall encourage and participate in the development of guides to good hygiene practice to which food businesses may refer, based, where appropriate, on the Recommended International Code of Practice, General Principles of Food Hygiene of the Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Volume A. Recommended International Code of Practice. General Principles of Food Hygiene. Second Revision (1985). Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations World Health Organization, Rome, 1988.;Whereas the Commission, assisted by Member States and other interested parties, is to encourage the development of guides to good hygiene practice to which food businesses may refer where necessary throughout the Community;Whereas, however, a food business operator is responsible for the hygiene conditions in his food business; whereas this Directive does not therefore impose observance of guides to good hygiene practice, which have no legal force;Whereas, in order to have the general rules of hygiene for foodstuffs and the guides to good hygiene practices implemented, the application of standards of the EN 29000 series should be recommended;Whereas observance of the general rules of hygiene for foodstuffs should be controlled in accordance with Directive 89/397/EEC by the competent authorities of the Member States, with the aim of preventing the consumer from being harmed by foodstuffs unfit for human consumption or potentially dangerous to human health;Whereas food business operators must ensure that only foodstuffs not harmful to health are placed on the market and appropriate powers should be granted to the competent authorities to protect public health; whereas, however, the legitimate rights of food businesses should be guaranteed;Whereas the Commission should be made aware of the identity of the competent authorities in the Member States responsible for the official control of food hygiene,HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: