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The focus of a new German-Icelandic twinning programme supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is to strengthen food safety in Iceland.
The aim of the project is to support the Icelandic authorities - the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) and the Icelandic Food and Biotech Institute (MATIS) - in establishing new capacities for official controls and laboratory testing. This will further implement the European Union's legal regulations in the areas of food safety and consumer protection in Iceland, as a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). This relates predominantly to the subjects of pesticide residues, chemical impurities and genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food and feed.
For MATIS, the project activities include the installation of new, high-performance laboratory devices, the introduction of new quality-assured analysis methods that are compulsory throughout the EU, and extensive training of the laboratory staff. The cooperation with MAST will focus on the assessment and further development of the current control procedures and pertinent documentation in the field of food safety. This programme also includes extensive training of staff in the central and local control authorities. It is planned to involve all socially relevant groups in Iceland: This relates, in addition to the political and governmental institutions, to producers, manufacturers and importers of food as well as to the consumer protection organisations.
Monday January 14, 2014/ BMEL/ Germany.
http://www.bmelv.de
