Directorate-General for Health and Consumers

The Directorate General for Health and Consumers ( DG SANCO short ) is a Directorate General of the European Commission. She is the Commissioner Tonio Borg ( Health and Consumers) of the EU Commission Barroso (2010 to 2014) assigned. The head is Paola Testori Coggi.

Tasks

The General Directorate has been established to improve the health and safety of European citizens and to increase consumer confidence. The European Union has adopted numerous regulations on the safety of food and other products, on consumers' rights and the protection of human health over the years. The Directorate-General Health and Consumer Protection is tasked with keeping these laws up to date.

Apply the provisions on health and consumer protection by national, regional or local government bodies in the EU Member States. Their task is to ensure that food producers, manufacturers and distributors comply with the legislation in each country. Nevertheless, it is our job to check that this is really happening and that the rules are properly applied in all EU Member States.

Directorates

The Directorate-General consists of six directorates in Brussels, these are classified according to size in four to six divisions.

The Directorates in Brussels (May 2011):

  • Directorate A: General Affairs (6 departments )
  • Directorate B: Consumer Affairs ( 6 departments )
  • Directorate C: Public Health (4 units )
  • Directorate D: Health System and Products (5 departments )
  • Directorate E: Safety of food production (6 departments )
  • Directorate F: Food and Veterinary Office (7 departments )
  • Directorate G: veterinarians and International Affairs ( 8 departments )

Agencies

  • European Food Safety Authority ( engl. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA ) ), based in Parma ( Italy)
  • European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Diseases ( engl. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC) ), based in Stockholm
  • Community Plant Variety Office (English Community Plant Variety Office ( CPVO) ), based in Angers (France)
Directorate-General for the Environment (European Commission)
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