The European Economic Community was created in 1957 when the six countries signed the Treaty of Rome. Its original goal has been to create a common market. The main instruments in achieving this goal could be defined as four freedoms: the free movement of labour, the free movement of services, the free movement of capital and the free movement of goods. The free movement of goods has been the most important segment for developing the food law. Although all Member States agreed generally about the free common market, in practice each of the states has been looking for and finding different ways of protecting its own markets. This tendency of Member States is evident through the development of European food law. The European food law development can be divided into two main phases: the first phase that was oriented on the market and the second phase with orientation on food safety and the market. There are two periods during the fi rst, market oriented phase: the period of harmonisation through vertical legislation and the period of harmonisation through horizontal legislation. In the second phase preceded by the ”White Paper on Food Safety“ of European Commission emphasis was on the high level of food safety in the area on the food law and not only on the development of a common market. Th e Regulation No 178, well known as General Food Law adopted in 2002, followed changes in the policy. The Food Act in Republic of Croatia based on the General Food Law entered into force only one year later.

European Union; vertical legislation; horizontal legislation; General Food Law

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia