With the agreement to achieve an “internal market” by the end of 1992, the European Community has introduced a new timetable for food law harmonisation. This timetable is only the latest attempt to harmonise European food law. Many delays have occurred since the first Directive was agreed in 1962. The first attempts at harmonisation, the different programmes which have been formulated and the development of case law at the European Court are examined and then aspects of the current policies are discussed.