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About HAH

The Croatian Food Agency (HAH) is legal entity which role, organization and modus operandi are regulated by the Food Act (OG 81/13, 14/14, 30/15), the Statute of Croatian Food Agency and other legal acts of Croatian Food Agency. The founder of the Croatian Food Agency is the Government of the Republic of Croatia. HAH was established by the Food Act from 2003, and officially has started with its work in January 2005. It is seated in Osijek. Director is the legal representative of HAH and is responsible for all operational and legal matters. HAH is funded by the state budget of the Republic of Croatia.
HAH performs scientific and technical tasks in the field of food and feed safety and is national referent point for risk assessment in food and feed safety area. In performing its duties HAH is guided by principles of independence, transparency and confidentiality.

Tasks of the HAH:

  • scientific risk assessment in the field of food and feed safety,
  • to provide scientific studies in the field of food and feed safety,
  • to provide scientific opinions at the request of the competent authorities, ex officio, or at the request of third parties for their needs,
  • to provide technical opinions and scientific and technical support to the competent authorities in the areas of food and feed safety, food and feed quality, human nutrition, animal health and welfare, plant health,novel food, nutrient enriched food, food and feed for particular nutritional uses and GM food and feed,
  • to provide initial risk assessment (as RASFF contact point in the Republic of Croatia),
  • to collect and analyse data from official controls and other relevant data for characterisation and monitoring of risks which have a direct or indirect impact on food and feed safety,
  • to identify and characterize risks and emerging risks,
  • to establish and coordinate national institution network in the field of food and feed safety in the Republic of Croatia,
  • to develop and apply risk assessment methodologies in the field,
  • to educate interested parties and publish educative materials about food and feed related risks,
  • to inform public about matters within its field of work,
  • to express independent conclusions and views on matters within its field of work and to provide rapid, reliable, objective and comprehensible information to the public and interested parties,
  • to promote the effective coherence between risk management, risk assessment and risk communication.

HAH cooperates closely with competent institutes, academic society, laboratories and other legal entities in food and feed safety system in the Republic of Croatia. HAH also cooperates with other EU member states and competent international institutions and organizations in the field of food and feed safety.

HAH is Focal Point for European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). HAH delivers information and data received from EFSA to the competent authorities in the Republic of Croatia and vice versa.

HAH is also INFOSAN focal point.