During the German EU Council Presidency, an international workshop, Classifications and Standards for Data Management in Food and Feed Control, took place in Berlin, 11-12 May 2007. The workshop was organized by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL).

The aim was to present and introduce the new German coding system for data management and classifications in the area of food and feed safety, which is currently being developed. In particular, the advantage of internationally harmonized classification for foodstuffs was to be be demonstrated. The system will cover all current reports on feed and food control, monitoring of zoonoses, etc. It will ensure reporting of surveillance data ‘from farm to fork’, covering the entire food chain. It will also be flexible enough to cope with future demands. Like the competent authorities in other Member States, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety collects and summarizes official data on food control for reports to DG SANCO and EFSA as well as for other purposes.

The workshop addressed representatives of the services of the European Commission (DG SANCO, EFSA, EUROSTAT, FVO) and supreme authorities of official food and feed control in the EU Member States and other countries.

Available from the workshop is report of the workshop, presentations and memorandum on the harmonization of data structures and classifications.