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This independent blog collects news about projects or achievements in regulatory reform / better regulation. It is edited by Charles H. Montin. All opinions expressed are given on a personal basis.
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27 January 2013

UK Gvt streamlines inspections on food outlets

Just published, a very good summary on the official Government site on how to improve enforcement of legislation by introducing risk-based inspections and publishing better guidance to manufacturers on how to comply. In this Better Regulation approach, more efficient enforcement of regulation serves higher standards of protection by way of less bureaucracy.
"The Government's Focus on Enforcement campaign asked small food manufacturers with up to fifty employees to report on their experiences of working with national regulators and local authorities.
Acting on the feedback received, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will:
  • Allow businesses with a good record of compliance fewer inspections
  • Deliver enhanced training for enforcement officers, helping them understand the law and the businesses they are regulating – including an innovative e-learning package that will also benefit business
  • Work with local authorities to improve consistency in the quality of enforcement, creating a level playing field for businesses and a dependable level of protection for consumers
  • Explore alternate appeals mechanisms in cases of disagreement between the business and the enforcing officer
  • Ensure guidance for the food industry on food safety management is clear and concise. FSA will continue to review the guidance on control of cross-contamination of E.coli O157, and engage one of the leading food science laboratories and research centres in the UK to test independently the alternative controls to cross-contamination proposed by stakeholders. This will ensure any unnecessary burdens on businesses can be removed while strengthening the effectiveness of public health protection.
  • Working with industry stakeholders, the FSA will assess what guidance is currently available, whether this is accessible and used by industry, and what the FSA can do to help small manufacturers."

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