Difference between revisions of "Germany:Germany/en"

*Agricultural policy and food safety

| [[File:AnimalFeed.png|Animal feed|link=Animal feed|25px]] [[File:AnimalHealth.png|Animal health and welfare|link=Animal health and welfare|25px]] [[File:BiologicalHazards.png|Biological hazards and zoonoses|link=Biological hazards and zoonoses|25px]] [[File:Biotechnology.png|Biotechnology and genetic engineering|link=Biotechnology and genetic engineering|25px]] [[File:Contaminants.png|Contaminants|link=Contaminants|25px]] [[File:DrinkingWater.png|Drinking water|link=Drinking water|25px]] [[File:EmergingRisk.png|Emerging risks|link=Emerging risks|25px]] [[File:FoodContactMaterials.png|Food contact materials and packaging|link=Food contact materials and packaging|25px]] [[File:FoodIngredients.png|Food ingredients|link=Food ingredients|25px]] [[File:FoodSupplements.png|Food supplements|link=Food supplements|25px]] [[File:MineralWater.png|Mineral water|link=Mineral water|25px]] [[File:Nanotechnology.png|Nanotechnology|link=Nanotechnology|25px]] [[File:NovelFood.png|Novel foods|link=Novel foods|25px]] [[File:Nutrition.png|Nutrition|link=Nutrition|25px]] [[File:PlantHealth.png|Plant health|link=Plant health|25px]] [[File:PlantProtection.png|Plant protection products or pesticides|link=Plant protection products or pesticides|25px]] [[File:ResiduesVeterinary.png|Residues of veterinary medicinal products|link=Residues of veterinary medicinal products|25px]]

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is responsible for agricultural and food policy as well as food and feed safety. In the field of food safety, the BMEL prepares draft legislation and issues related to statutory regulations. The BMEL is assisted by several scientific Advisory Boards (ABs), such as those for Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection and for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources. The institutions within the BMEL's portfolio include higher federal authorities, legally independent institutions, the federal research institutions, institutions belonging to the Leibniz Association.

The BMEL is the central competent authority (CCA) for EU legislation in the field of food and feed safety as well as hygiene, GMOs in food and feed. Furthermore, it is the CCA for plant health and for animal welfare, and is involved in the development of EU legislation related to Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in foodstuffs of plant and animal origin, contaminants in foods and food contact materials.

The BMEL is the ministry in charge of matters of general food hygiene that are regulated in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. The BMEL is also responsible for drawing up the report on the controls carried out by the Länder on the marketing and use of plant protection products, pursuant to Art. 68 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

In the field of feed safety and animal nutrition, it is responsible for drafting legislation at the federal level and for coordinating its implementation with the assistance of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL). Regarding food safety risks, the BMEL receives advice from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).

The BMEL is responsible for the federal research institutions involved in the EFSA network pursuant to Article 36 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002, which give advice on various matters. These include the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) in the area of animal diseases, animal welfare, animal husbandry, animal nutrition and farm animal genetics, the Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) with regard to plant health and plant protection matters, and the Max Rubner-Institut (MRI) in the field of nutrition and food. Furthermore, as part of the Article 36 network, the Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (TI) provides advice on matters concerning plant health, genetically modified organisms, animal health and welfare, as well as environmental risk assessments.

Well-founded scientific insights are crucial for political decisions. BMEL can draw on its well-positioned specialist research institutions. This departmental research includes the four federal research institutes as well as the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ). Innovative research and competent scientific policy advice are closely linked tasks undertaken by these institutions.