Sante

SANTE, officially the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission, is the EU’s executive body responsible for health and food safety policy. It drafts and implements legislation, coordinates EU action to protect public health, ensure the safety of the food chain, and safeguard consumer health across the internal market. The directorate-general is commonly referred to as DG SANTE.

Scope and remit include public health, disease prevention, and preparedness for cross-border health threats; vaccination policy and health-system coordination at the EU level. It also covers veterinary and plant health to protect animal and plant health within the Union, as well as the safety and regulation of food, nutrition, medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics. The DG works to ensure high standards of consumer protection related to health issues and to support the functioning of the internal market in these areas.

Policy process and collaboration:

DG SANTE develops policy proposals, negotiates with member states and the European Parliament, and oversees the implementation of health and safety rules. It relies on close collaboration with EU agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to provide scientific input, risk assessment, and regulatory oversight. In times of health emergencies, DG SANTE coordinates EU-level responses and support to member states.

History and governance:

The directorate-general is the successor to DG SANCO (Health and Consumers) and was renamed DG SANTE following a reorganization of health and consumer policy functions within the European Commission. It operates from Brussels, led by a Director-General, and works with national authorities to implement EU health and safety policy.