General food legislation

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (General Food Law)
Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1423674478923&uri=CELEX:02002R0178-20140630

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1404467419178&uri=CELEX:02004R0852-20090420

Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules
Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1424252728992&uri=CELEX:02004R0882-20140630

Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption
Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1423674040797&uri=CELEX:01998L0083-20090807

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs
Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1404467470470&uri=CELEX:02005R2073-20140601

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers
Link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1426524765814&uri=CELEX:02011R1169-20140219

The European Union’s forthcoming hygiene guideline will try to interpret all of these regulations in a practical manner. But there might be aspects that this guideline overlooks or that are stricter in national legislation than in EU legislation. The interpretation of the applicable rules always lies with the competent authorities of the EU member state in question.