Cyprus to Establish Food Safety Authority

The government of the Republic of Cyprus has announced plans to establish a food safety authority. The Ministry of Health intends to introduce a bill for its establishment by the end of the year.

In its presentation, the Ministry of Health referred to the World Health Organization (WHO), which, after the Covid-19 pandemic, called for a "unified approach" in the fields of public health, veterinary medicine, and the environment.

The ministry notes that the existing system of control in managing food and drinking water safety, animal diseases, nutrition, and plant health has not yielded the desired results.

The Ministry of Health stated that the current food safety system in Cyprus is ineffective, making the island a "magnet for food products of dubious quality." According to them, the situation is exacerbated by the ongoing financial crisis and rising prices.

It is planned that the new food safety authority will be tasked with creating a unified control and risk management system in the field of food safety, animal health and welfare, as well as plant health.

They added that the authority will be "an independent state body," which will make the process of ensuring the safety of food products and related goods more transparent.