Brussels, 28/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - The EU is to allocate €32.5 million to the 43 EU reference laboratories (EU-RLs) to increase their ability to provide support, by means of their expertise, to member states' laboratories in the area of food safety, the Commission announced on Thursday 28 January.
The funding is for the years 2016 and 2017. The EU-RLs that will benefit from it cover a wide range of areas: pesticides, GMOs, animal health, analysis of food and feed to check their health safety. They provide essential scientific and technical support along with advice to national laboratories on improved laboratory techniques, such as developing analytical laboratory methods, organising know-how tests and training of laboratory staff.
In providing member states with assistance to ensure high-quality and uniform testing and controls when applying EU food and feed legislation, the EU-RLs serve the objective of securing the highest level of food safety for all European citizens. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)