implement this harmonized legislation and set up enforcement controls. EU food safety policy and action are focused on 4 main areas of protection: • food hygiene: food industry and food processing businesses, from farms to restaurants, including food importers into the EU, must comply with EU food law • animal health: sanitary controls and measures for pets and farmed animals, surveillance and disease management of wild animals, monitoring of all farmed animals • plant health: early detection and eradication of pests prevent their spread and ensure that seeds are healthy • contaminants and residues: monitoring prevents contamination of food and animal feed. Maximum permissible levels of contaminants have been set for food and feed produced and imported into the internal market (Maisto sauga, 2025). Article 4 of the Law on Food of the Republic of Lithuania (2000) stipulates that food must be of such composition and quality that it is suitable for human consumption, not contaminated with chemical, physical, microbial and other contaminants more than those permitted by law, and must meet mandatory safety and quality requirements. Also, food must be handled at all stages of its preparation and provision to consumers in accordance with the food hygiene, public health, veterinary and environmental protection requirements set out in law and with equipment that meets hygiene and technological requirements. To meet the high international and national standards for food quality and safety, Lithuania has a State Food and Veterinary Service, which oversees the implementation of requirements for food and feed safety, quality, handling and animal welfare, and implements measures to reduce the incidence of diseases in food-producing animals. The activities of the Service are organized in accordance with the Strategic Management Methodology of the Service and the Annual Activity Plan, prepared by the Government-approved Strategic Management Methodology. The Strategic Activity Plan of the Service is approved by the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Economy and Innovation by a joint order, and the Annual Activity Plan, after coordination with the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Economy and Innovation, is 664 JOLANTA VILKEVIČIŪTĖ
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