SWEDEN — The proposed European Food Authority could be operational in less than a year, according to the Swedish EU Presidency.

In a recent report to the EU Council of Ministers, the Swedish Presidency indicated that recent outbreaks of BSE (mad cow disease) and scrapie in sheep illustrate the need for the food organization, which may be operating by early 2002. The goal of the organization is to streamline the existing rules applied by EU nations to ensure safe foods and to regain public confidence in the European food industry.

The presidency hopes to acquire a preliminary political decision on the creation of the food authority at the June 19 Farm Council meeting.

The report also noted that the establishment of the proposed organization is going well, with most member states endorsing the central mission of the authority – which is to provide scientific and technical support to politicians and community legislative actions in areas having an impact on food safety. However, there remain some disagreements on additional missions.

Those debates include the future of a proposed mandate to oversee animal welfare and pant health, as well as questions concerning genetically-modified organisms. Some members feel that the authority should focus on areas that have a direct connection to public health only, according to the report.

Debate is currently ongoing over several other subjects including: an early warning system for food and animal feed; procedures for requesting scientific opinions; what role the authority will have where scientific opinions differ; and the location of the authority’s headquarters.