The Government refers to the statement made by the Malta Environmental Health Officers Association (MEHOA) regarding the responsibility of Food Safety. Food safety controls in Malta have always been the shared responsibility of three Ministries, namely the Ministry responsible for Food and Agriculture, Health and Consumer Protection and which are widespread in eleven entities with fragmented oversight.
This is why in the 2022 Electoral Manifesto, the Government proposed the consolidation of food controls under one entity. As a result of this, the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, which is responsible for the food portfolio, has been assigned the task of consolidating food control functions.
For this purpose, the Commission for Food Safety (KSI) which was established in 2002 and whose mandate is to monitor, coordinate and keep under review the practices, operations and activities all related to food, has been assigned as part of the Portfolio of the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights from April 2022.
In line with the Government’s Work Program based on the 2022 Electoral Manifesto, the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights has started a transformative initiative to establish a new authority with the responsibility to monitor sustainability, safety, and food security in the country. This demonstrates a high level of commitment to food safety, quality and security and provides an integrated approach to risk-based decision-making, resource allocation and action throughout whole food chain from farm to table.
A high-level analysis and a plan including the proposed strategy, structure and systems that will serve as the foundation for the new authority, to be formed through the consolidation of existing entities, have been carried out.
The process was led by the KSI in which all the relevant interested parties were consulted where they were asked to provide the necessary information for this exercise. Unlike the statement made by MEHOA, the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights has met with its leaders since June 2022, where they were informed about the implementation process of -manifest measure.
The establishment of a single authority responsible for food safety and security will not only not weaken food safety and the profession of those involved, but will lead to a strengthening, by bringing together the functions all control of the food chain in one administration, according to the logic of the European Union Regulation 2017/625. This will bring several advantages to the authority’s officials, stakeholders and consumers through the simplification of administrative procedures, the harmonized application of regulations and control processes, the sharing of knowledge and increased competence with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
The Government has always stressed the fact that as happened in the past with the establishment of the various public authorities and agencies, as prescribed in the Maltese legislation, the public officers who will be assigned within the new authority will retain all the rights and duties as public officers and that the terms and conditions of their service shall not be less favorable than those attached to their appointment in the public service. In the same way it is said for the profession of the officers involved in this process and that, as has always been done, the discussions with all interested parties will continue.
Send feedback
