China and the European Union (EU) signed on Tuesday two cooperation agreements on toy and food safety in a bid to further boost bilateral trade.

The agreements were signed by Li Changjing, China's Minister of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou.

"The agreement we have signed today with the Chinese authorities is a significant step forward in ensuring consumer safety," Kyprianou said.

The "Roadmap for safer toys" outlines a strategy for improving the safety of Chinese toys exported to the EU, focusing on training and technical assistance, exchange of information between EU and Chinese authorities and tracing, feedback and follow up mechanisms for dangerous products.

Under the "Arrangement for the cooperation on joint prevention of illegal action in the import and export of food," the two sides will improve exchange of information on illegal activities detected during routine pre-export checks or other controls, so as to prevent and deter such illegal activity.

Contact points for both sides will be established for the rapid communication of known relevant technical information concerning potential illegal activities in food trade.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2006)