The State Council of China has approved an assessment system for provincial and municipal governments on their performance of food safety management, as an effort to improve food safety and ensure people’s health, according to a circular issued on Aug 29. The Food Safety Commission of the State Council will lead the assessment. Provincial and municipal governments’ performance in implementing food safety protection measures and the local food safety situation will be assessed, based on the performance of each calendar year.
According to the circular, the Office of the Food Safety Commission, along with related departments, will set up a working group to go to provincial regions to make annual on-site assessments, and generate reports before November each year. Provincial and municipal governments should produce comprehensive summaries and provide self-assessment reports on food safety management in their jurisdiction. Then member departments of the Food Safety Commission will carry out evaluations of those reports.
