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Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION
Motivation
Time frame
History
Mandate
Authors and Methodology

MISSION AND VISION OF THE FOOD CHAIN SAFETY STRATEGY

CONCEPT OF THE FOOD CHAIN SAFETY STRATEGY
Definition of food chain safety
Difficulties of the assessment of food chain safety

COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL, ECONOMICAL, SOCIAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND LEGAL SITUATION
Political factors
Economic factors
Social factors
Technological factors
Environmental factors
Legal factors

EVALUATION
How to improve food chain safety?
Basic principles of food chain safety strategy

TARGETS OF THE FOOD CHAIN SAFETY STRATEGY
Target system
Role of the government
I.Target area - Food chain safety knowledge management
I. A. Establishing and operating the knowledge centre
I. B. Developing a knowledge network and innovation
II. Target area - Control of food chain risks
II. A. Control of known hazards
II. B. Control of unknown hazards and unacceptable risks

PROGRAMS FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY
1. Global information management
2. Introducing transparent risk analysis
3. Reorganization of the laboratory network
4. Building the basis of the knowledge network
5. Modern education and training
6. Partnerships in research and innovation
7. Active public relations
8. Extensive risk reduction
9. Strong and credible authority
10. Successful fight against abuse
11. Protection of critical infrastructures

STRATEGIC TOOLS
FINANCIAL PLAN
SCHEDULE
STRATEGIC INDICATORS AND MONITORING SYSTEM
CORRESPONDENCE WITH OTHER STRATEGIES
EX ANTE EVALUATION

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Summary

The first question that pops into many people's mind is why this strategy has been developed about food chain safety, and not only about food safety? The answer is relatively simple: food chain safety means much more than food safety.

Until the end of 1900's food chain safety's attention was primarily focused on the traditionally most important elements of critical importance, i.e. slaughterhouses, animal drug residues, etc. However, the increasing number of food scandals has shown that this attitude was no longer adequate. So since the early 2000s, the main objective was to organize a new and modern food chain safety system all over the world, where the focus expanded to all elements of the food chain.

Developed countries including Hungary have made progress in the practical implementation of food chain safety, but nowadays it became clear that all confronted problems cannot be handled with this approach. This is mostly due to the fact that food safety is mainly focusing on protecting food and health. However, in food production, in addition to food, many other products i.e. pesticides, feed, etc. are also produced and used. Additionally, although the protection of human health is a priority, but it is not the sole aspect of food chain safety. Well-known problems such as the expansion of black economy, the spread of animal diseases and climate change have demonstrated the importance of other areas like economy and environmental protection. It is almost impossible to prioritize between health, and the protection of the economy and the environment. There is a very deep and mutual interdependency among them, so that's why a long-term, sustainable development of those must be done together. This goal can only be achieved in the framework of food chain safety, because it covers all activities from the soil to the table and not only the food safety aspects, but the aspects of crop protection, animal health, animal welfare, environmental protection, economic, quality protection and other aspects as well.

This was how we conceptually arrived to create a medium-term national food chain safety strategy instead of making a food safety program, to outline the main objectives of food chain for the next 10 years. In this framework the mission of the government was outlined, which is nothing more than to improve food chain safety to protect humans and the society. The mission of the government is planned to be fulfilled through the protection of health and the economy, with regard to environmental aspects, where health not just means no illnesses, but the physical, mental and social well-being of the people, furthermore the protection of the economy means not only the protection of national interests, but also includes transparent economic processes and aspects of sustainability.

The strategy's vision is that food chain products (particularly food) will be always healthy, high quality and safe as well as that people and the society show a high level of awareness and responsibility in food production, in trade and in consuming behaviour. In this context society includes all actors of the food chain, so in addition to companies and authorities, it includes the media, politics, professional, civil, educational and scientific organizations as well.

The next important question was: What to do to improve the safety of the food chain? It is really difficult to answer this question briefly, as the complete strategy is devoted to this. Maybe the right answer is that we try to reduce - with environmental considerations - the health and economic risks encountered in the food chain together. Risk reduction has two main options which also present the two base concepts of the strategy: in the first one, the government will be responsible for organizing and coordinating the knowledge management in the food chain, and in the other one, we have to strengthen and increase the efficiency of the government's traditional law enforcement function.

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