Romania:Romania

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Law No. 150/2004 (with amendments) is the legal foundation for food and feed legislation in Romania. Infringement of food and feed regulations can lead to measures under criminal law and consumer damage claims under civil law, whereby the final decision rests with the courts. Government measures with regard to food safety are often based on scientific risk assessments.

In Romania there is no institutional separation of risk assessment and risk management. Not all risk assessments are published on the Internet.

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Name	Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Acronym	MADR
Activities	Risk assessment Risk communication Risk management
Responsibilities
Location	Bucharest
URL	http://www.madr.ro/en/

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) deals with agricultural policy and food safety in Romania. It prepares draft legislation in the area of food and feed of non-animal origin, residues of plant protection products and cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). MADR also conducts risk assessments in these fields. Activities of MADR with regard to plant protection products are supported by the National Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Health.

Two National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) are part of MADR pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625.

Ministry of Health

Name	Ministry of Health
Acronym	MS
Activities	Risk assessment Risk communication Risk management
Responsibilities
Location	Bucharest
URL	http://www.ms.ro

The Ministry of Health (MS) is responsible for health protection and partially for food safety in Romania. The MS prepares draft legislation in the field of food safety and is partially responsible for official controls in the area of food safety. The portfolio of the MS includes novel foods, food supplements, food for populations with special nutritional requirements, food additives, enzymes and flavourings, treatment of food with ionising irradiation, food contact materials as well as mineral water. The MS is also responsible for risk assessments in these areas.

National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority

Name	National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority
Acronym	ANSVSA
Activities	Risk assessment Risk communication Risk management, border controls Codex Contact Point OIE Focal Point EFSA Focal Point RASFF contact point Food Fraud contact point
Responsibilities
Location	Bucharest
URL	http://www.ansvsa.ro

The National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) is subordinate to the Romanian Government, and the activities of the ANSVSA are coordinated by the Prime Minister. The ANSVSA manages all matters in the area of food safety – from raw materials to consumer issues. The ANSVSA is responsible for official controls, preparation of draft legislation as well as preparation of risk assessments in the following areas: food and feed safety, contaminants, residues of plant protection products, import and export of animals and plant products, traceability and labelling of genetically modified food and feed, zoonoses, veterinary medicinal products and their residues, feed, animal health and welfare, and antimicrobial resistance.

The ANSVSA ensures that HACCP and hygienic requirements are implemented in food production and catering businesses.

There are 3 National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) pursuant to Regulation (EU) No. 2017/625 that are attached to ANSVSA: the Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health, the Institute for Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, and the Institute for Control of Biological Products and Veterinary Medicines. The ANSVSA also has its own network of 42 official county sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.

Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests

Name	Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests
Acronym	MMAP
Activities	Risk assessment Risk communication Risk management
Responsibilities
Location	Bucharest
URL	http://www.mmediu.ro/

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests (MMAP) deals with environmental policy and is the main competent authority for plant protection products and GMOs. The MMAP authorises and controls the use of GMOs and plant protection products and monitors their impact on the environment. In this area, the MMAP is supported by the National Protection Agency and the National Environmental Guard. Authorisation of plant protection products in Romania requires the approval of three ministries, the MADR, MS and MMAP. The MMAP is also responsible for the management of obsolete pesticides.

National Authority for Consumer Protection

Name	National Authority for Consumer Protection
Acronym	ANPC
Activities	Risk management
Responsibilities
Location	Bucharest
URL	http://www.anpc.ro

The National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) monitors whether food, food advertising, and food labelling conforms to legal requirements. The ANPC also handles consumer complaints.

Regional and local levels

Romania has a unitary government structure with decentralised regional administration offices. The regional level (42 administrative districts) has certain autonomous competencies. The regional administration supervises the work of local authorities. All authorities (MADR, MS, ANSVSA, MMAP and ANPC) have regional offices that carry out inspections and control in the area of food and feed safety, plant protection and plant health as well as veterinary inspections.

Article 36 institutions

Institutions involved in the EFSA network pursuant to Article 36 Reg. (EC) No. 178/2002

National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority in Romania (EFSA Focal Point) Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health Ministry of Public Health Department of Public Health Authority (PHA) Department of Sanitary State Inspection Institute for Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health Banat's University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine County Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate in Bucharest – County Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Laboratory in Bucharest University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj Napoca National Institute of Research and Development for Food Bioresources – IBA Bucharest Dunarea de Jos University in Galati