The Federal Public Service (FPS) Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment was set up in 2001. Its competencies were transferred from :

  • the former Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Environment
  • the regionalized Ministry of Agriculture

The following scientific establishments are linked to the FPS and carry out research into policy-supporting matters or issue advisory reports :

  • VAR, Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre
  • IPH, Scientific Institute of Public Health
  • SHC, Superior Health Council

The Federal Agency for Food Chain Security is responsible for all verifications with regard to food safety.

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Our International activities

Our Policy Domains

Health

We organize health care in Belgium. Our areas of expertise include, among others, hospital financing, health care policy and emergency medical aid co-ordination.

Food

We ensure product safety at all levels of the food chain and we enforce the food safety standards set in the European legislation. We also implement standards and conduct checks on tobacco and alcohol products and cosmetics.

Animals and Plants

We promote animal and plant health. Our areas of expertise include, among others, ensuring the quality and safety of animal products, protection against plant diseases, pesticides, fertilizers and soil improvers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Environment

We strive for a high-quality environment for all. We manage, inter alia, the integrated product policy, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the REACH convention, the co-ordination of the international environmental policy, the protection of the North Sea, and the CITES convention.

Our mission

As a well-trained and highly motivated team, we develop a transparent, dynamic and scientifically founded policy in order to secure, now and in the future, a high-quality health, a healthy nutrition and a better environment, in co-operation with relevant partners.

Our Values

Sustainability

“Together with our partners, we make efforts to strike a balance between the social, ecological and economic dimensions of our activities, for the parties concerned as well as for present and future generations”.

Customer focus

“By entering into dialogue with both our internal and external customers, we get to know their needs and logic and we are able to address them in an objective, transparent, qualitative, efficient and fair way”.

Innovation

“In our network we are continuously open to new ideas and technologies and we bring new ones in order to work together for a modern public service”.

Making room for talents

“Making the most of every talent by giving and taking opportunities in a spirit of mutual trust”.

Together in respect

“Building a respectful way of working together by thinking out of the box, by seeing diversity as an opportunity and by promoting the added value of the common mission”.

Integrity

“We are credible colleagues, partners and/or service providers as, starting from a common interest in our organization, we take responsibility for our actions and the consequences thereof for others”.

Would you like to join the FPS Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment?

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Our ministers

Maggie De Block

Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health

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Willy Borsus

Minister responsible for agriculture, and specifically for all food safety aspects, including the services of the Directorate-General for Animals and Plants, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (AFSCA-FAVV) and the Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (CERVA-CODA).

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Marie-Christine Marghem

Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development

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Philippe De Backer

Secretary of State in charge of the North Sea

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