Article 22 Specific communication strategy by the crisis unit
United Kingdom
In case of a situation requiring the setting-up of a crisis unit, the crisis unit shall coordinate communications and immediately develop a specific communication strategy in order to keep the public informed about the risks and the measures taken. The Commission shall prepare a standard template for such strategy. The communication strategy shall identify key messages for the main target audiences and the key communication means to distribute them.
Using the practical procedures referred to in Chapter V, the communication strategy shall aim at informing the public and economic actors including trade partners in food through:
consistent and coordinated messages;
effective communication on the risks;
stressing the ongoing investigations and precautionary measures when the source is uncertain;
the provision of reliable evidence (results from analyses, epidemiological evidences, etc.) supporting the positions and measures taken;
the provision of reassurances regarding the safety of products not implicated in the crisis including by clear information on the type(s) of affected product(s) and vis-à-vis those that are unaffected;
the provision of messages on successful measures and results achieved based on reliable evidence: e.g. identification and withdrawal of affected batches as a result of effective investigation.
The Member States directly concerned by the incident, and members of the crisis unit, shall make all efforts to ensure that their communication actions are consistent with the communication strategy adopted by the crisis unit.
The communication strategy shall include establishing appropriate contacts with the non-Union countries concerned in order to provide them with clear, precise and coherent information on the evolution of the management of the relevant crisis.