The purpose of this Federal Act, consisting of 21 articles, is to establish the Federal Agency for Health and Food Safety and the Federal Offices for Food Safety, Health Safety, veterinary certification and Consumer Health, in order to: protect the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment, evaluate effectively food safety, monitor communicable and non-communicable diseases in humans, protect consumer interests, maintain the effectiveness, safety and quality of medical products.
The Act gives the definition of risk and clarifies the related terms in the field of health and nutrition and the standards to comply with concerning health protection in the food and medical sectors.
The Act defines in detail tasks, areas of interest of the mentioned offices and the Federal Acts to be implemented by the offices activity. It also establishes the tobacco coordination office, whose main tasks are: planning of the legally required monitoring, sampling and control of tobacco and related products, professional assessment in the context of the approval of novel tobacco products, publication of technical information on tobacco and related products.
The Act deals with the establishment of the Federal Agency for Health and Food Safety, its special tasks and principles in their execution, its members and bodies, its federal funds and other funds, and the management of social affairs for employees, the transfer of federal institutions and the departments incorporated into the Federal Agency. The agency is tasked with technically coordinating the enforcement of federal laws and relevant EU regulations related to food and feed law, animal health, and plant protection products, including support activities regarding animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products. These responsibilities encompass conducting microbiological, serological, and physico-chemical tests, as well as participating in combating animal diseases, conducting veterinary examinations, the production and testing of sera, and vaccines against animal diseases. Article 21 defines the entry into force of most recent amendments. Article XXIV at the end of the text refers to transitional provision.
The Act gives the definition of risk and clarifies the related terms in the field of health and nutrition and the standards to comply with concerning health protection in the food and medical sectors.
The Act defines in detail tasks, areas of interest of the mentioned offices and the Federal Acts to be implemented by the offices activity. It also establishes the tobacco coordination office, whose main tasks are: planning of the legally required monitoring, sampling and control of tobacco and related products, professional assessment in the context of the approval of novel tobacco products, publication of technical information on tobacco and related products.
The Act deals with the establishment of the Federal Agency for Health and Food Safety, its special tasks and principles in their execution, its members and bodies, its federal funds and other funds, and the management of social affairs for employees, the transfer of federal institutions and the departments incorporated into the Federal Agency. The agency is tasked with technically coordinating the enforcement of federal laws and relevant EU regulations related to food and feed law, animal health, and plant protection products, including support activities regarding animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products. These responsibilities encompass conducting microbiological, serological, and physico-chemical tests, as well as participating in combating animal diseases, conducting veterinary examinations, the production and testing of sera, and vaccines against animal diseases. Article 21 defines the entry into force of most recent amendments. Article XXIV at the end of the text refers to transitional provision.
An Act to establish an Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, as well as a Federal Office for Food Safety. Part one outlines the scope of the Act, defines the most important terms, and deals with protection of human health, as well as consumer protection. Part two concerns the establishment of the said Federal Office and Agency. In particular, it outlines their competences and their tasks; it deals also with the specific organs, funds and personnel. The text consists of 20 articles divided
Consolidated version as last amended by the Federal Act Nr. 53/2024.
Title:
Health and Food Safety Act (GESG).
Country:
Austria
Type of document:
Legislation
Date of original text:
Date of latest amendment:
ECOLEX regions:
ECOLEX URL:
Files:
Repealed:
No
Amended by