The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has voiced a mixed reaction to proposals by the European Commission (EC), which appear to exempt all food businesses with fewer than 10 employees from the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system.

The EC has issued a draft regulation suggesting a change is made to existing regulations, saying that all food businesses must have a procedure based on the principles of HACCP, which is designed to ensure that foods are prepared and served hygienically.

Although the FPB welcomes the idea of eliminating bureaucracy, the organisation thinks the EC draft is loosely worded and would lead to confusion and the possibility of some businesses being prosecuted unnecessarily.

During the drafting of the original EC food regulations, the FPB insisted on the inclusion of words like "where necessary" and "commensurate with the nature and size of the business". This allowed some flexibility on interpretation for low-risk undertakings. The Food Standards Agency (FSA), meanwhile, has drawn up guidance called Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB). This is designed to allow flexibility in line with the original EC guidance. However, the EC proposal would allow exemption from record keeping even of the minimal sort called for in SFBB.

The EC aim is to save 25 per cent of the £220 million existing costs to business from bureaucracy in their regulation. The FPB supports this and believes, if approved, the exemption could be applied to two-thirds of the 600,000 food businesses in Britain. However, the draft regulation also seems to contradict itself in places. The FPB has submitted detailed comments to the FSA and is working with other organisations to ensure a workable compromise is reached, which is clearly understood by all and does not jeopardise food safety.

The FPB’s food adviser, Bob Salmon, explained the difficulties of the proposed changes: "A proper HACCP scheme has a team of people monitoring critical points in the production process and keeping copious records to ensure the checks have been done. Such a scheme is impractical for very small businesses.

"The draft speaks of a limit of 10 employees or less than £2m turnover. The FPB would like to see a reference to risk. For example, there might be more need for a small company making meat pies to have HACCP than, say, a retailer selling pre-packaged sweets. I cannot see any magic in the figure of 10 employees."

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