EN
In the wake of the horsemeat scandal which rocked Europe’s food industry, the European Commission has proposed measures to tighten controls on the health of animals and plants entering the European food chain. Tonio Borg, the health and consumer policy commissioner, on May 6 announced a legislative package which aims to prevent the spread of communicable animal-based diseases and foreign pests to European crops. The rules aim to ensure authorities in member states comply with the European Union food safety legislation and carry out sufficient controls. The EU executive would also require national authorities to carry out anti-fraud checks and impose strong financial penalties on food operators which committed fraud or failed to comply with the laws.