To this end, the European Parliament and the Council, by means of a regulation adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall lay down in advance the rules and general principles concerning the mechanism for control by the Member States.

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (9) lays down the general principles governing food and feed in general, and food and feed safety in particular, at European Union and national level.

(4) Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety provides that it is a general principle of food law to provide a basis for consumers to make informed choices in relation to food they consume and to prevent any practices that may mislead the consumer.

570 | ( Detailed explanation of the proposal by chapter or by article Chapter I: General principles A common procedure is established for assessing and authorising additives, enzymes and flavourings. This procedure has been designed to be simple, fast and effective, while respecting the principles of good administration and legal certainty. It is centred around the updating, on the basis of the criteria laid down in the sectoral laws, of a list of authorised substances that must be created and maintained by the Commission. Chapter II: Common procedure Under the proposed procedure ...[+++], requests for updates must be addressed to the Commission, without first going through a national authority. The Commission shall send the request file to the Authority and to the Member States and shall seek the opinion of the Authority, which must issue such opinion within six months. So as to ensure the binding effect of the updating measures, the proposal provides for their adoption to take the legal form of a regulation adopted in accordance with the comitology procedure. When the list is being updated within the framework of this proposal for a Regulation, any other relevant legitimate factors must be taken into account. Thus, when initiating the decision-making process, the Commission, as risk manager, may propose a measure that is not in line with the outcome of the risk assessment carried out under the responsibility of the Authority. In such cases, the Commission must explain its reasons for such a departure. This is in line with the Codex Alimentarius General Principles on Risk Analysis.

The Thessaloniki European Council of June 2003 approved the ‘Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans: moving towards European integration’, which provided for Community programmes to be opened up to the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) countries along the lines established for the participation of candidate countries.In its communication on ‘Preparing for the participation of the Western Balkan countries in Community programmes and agencies’, the Commission advocated concluding with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro framework agreements laying down the general principles governing ...[+++] each country’s participation in Community programmes.In accordance with the negotiating directives adopted by the Council on 29 April 2004, the Commission, on behalf of the Community, has negotiated a Framework Agreement with the Republic of Albania on the general principles for its participation in Community programmes.This Agreement was signed, on behalf of the Community, on 22 November 2004 in Brussels, subject to conclusion at a later date.With regard to some programmes covered by the Agreement, the Treaty does not provide for powers other than those under Article 308.The specific terms and conditions regarding the participation of the Republic of Albania in the Community programmes, including the financial contribution payable, should be determined by the Commission on behalf of the Community.

(4) Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety [4] provides that it is a general principle of food law to provide a basis for consumers to make informed choices in relation to food they consume and to prevent any practices that may mislead the consumer.