Better Regulation, Simplification and Modernisation of the EU-Legislation in the Area of Food Safety.

Currently, the rules for the marketing of feed are spread over four old Directives -compound feed, feed materials, "dietetic feed" and bio-proteins. This has made existing legislation extremely scattered, difficult to understand and implement in a uniform way. In the light of the EU-Commission's Better Regulation Policy and Lisbon Strategy, the emphasis of the legislative project was on modernisation and simplification while ensuring animal health and the safety of food. The main improvements will be achieved by setting modern rules under one Regulation resulting in more legal clarity and a smoother functioning of the internal market. In particular, several grey zone areas will be clarified and the use of claims will be better regulated and thus enforceable. The new rules cope with the developments in the marketing of farm animal feed and pet food including modern communication means. Stakeholders will be encouraged to develop EU codes for good labelling practice. On top of this, market transparency about the various different feed materials will be improved by a stakeholder driven catalogue and notification system. Furthermore, the burden is removed to indicate all percentages of feed materials in compound feed for food producing animals and to have a pre-market authorisation for "bio-proteins". The Commission proposal has been adopted in March 2008 and passed the co-decision procedure in record time to enter into force in spring 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]