Health and Consumers Directorate-General (DG SANCO) Howard Batho, Head of import and OIE sector
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Transcript of Health and Consumers Directorate-General (DG SANCO) Howard Batho, Head of import and OIE sector
Health and Consumers Directorate-General
(DG SANCO)
Howard Batho, Head of import and OIE sector
Unit D1, Animal Health and Standing Committees
Objective of EU health legislation
To ensure a high level of safety in relation to public, animal and plant health in the EU
To ensure that trade and imports in animals and their products can take place in safe conditions
Conditions relating to imports are equivalent to those for domestic producers
Food must conform to our standards, irrespective of its origins
Yes, we do have high food safety standards
Need them to prevent introduction of animal and plant diseasesSerious consumer concern about food safety issuesEnable trade within the EU and with Third CountriesResult – high standards but equivalent for internal trade and imports
The legislative framework
Public healthRegulations (EC) No 852/2004, 853/2004 and854/2004(Hygiene package)
Animal Health Directive 2002/99/EC
Import requirements (list of third countries/certificates/etc)
Veterinary checks: Directives 97/78/EC and 91/496/EEC and official controls: Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 (Feed and Food)
Legal basis
Implementing Legislation
Enforcement legislation
The international context of EU legislation
It follows WTO rules and its SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) Agreement which follows OIE & CODEX standardsIt is scientifically based: the European Food Safety Authority (in Parma, Italy) gives scientific advice to the Commission and to Member States
The SPS Agreement of the WTO
SPS measures on international trade (including animal health measures) must be:
applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or healthbased on:
scientific principlesan assessment of the health riskson international standards (OIE, CODEX)
proportional to the “appropriate level of protection” chosen by the country
The EU is the largest importer of
agricultural products in the world!
The basic objective of the EU health import policy
Protection of the EU human & animal populations from transmissible diseases and other pathological conditions which may have major negative effects on their health and welfare and on public health
Veterinary services - listing in principleLegal and financial powers
Animal health situation - certificationDisease notification and control measuresActive and passive surveillance
Public health Residue monitoringApproval of establishmentsHygienic measures – HACCP, ante and post mortem inspection
Favorable audit by FVO
Elements to be taken into account
If assessment is favourable, inclusion in the third country list with agreement of the EU Member States in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH)
Risk mitigating factorsZoning and compartmentalisationHeat treatment Other physical treatmentsDe-boning and maturationChannelled import - end useVector – free periodTime delay Quarantine and testing
Support for third countries (article 50 of OFFC – Official Food and Feed Control Regulation)
Capacity buildingAssistance by Community experts on the spotParticipation in training coursesPhased introductionTwinning projectsAssistance for providing information
Third Country programmes 2008RASFF/TRACES
Assessment of HPAI situation
Avian Influenza
EU food import standards
Food Testing ASEAN Countries
Training 2009-2010
Approaching5000 Participants/Year150 Training Activities/Year1000 Training Days/Year
Estimated Budget 11,5 M€ (2009) 13M€ (2010)BTSF Africa 10M€ (2009-2010)
ConclusionEU legislation is not an obstacle to trade, it is essential to tradeFollows WTO/SPS international guidesRequires efforts on the side of the third countryPossibility to enter new markets, in particular in the higher value end of the marketA better food safety situation in the third country
Important linksFVO inspection reports (http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo/index_en.htm)Rapid alert system for food and feed (http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/rapidalert/index_en.htm)Third Country establishments lists (http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/establishments/third_country/index_en.htm)
Important linksGeneral guidance on EU import and
transit rules for live animals and animal products from third countries of July 2007
(http://ec.europa.eu/food/international/trade/guide_thirdcountries2006_en.pdf)
Guidance document on key questions related to import requirements and the new rules on food hygiene and official food controls of January 2006 (http://ec.europa.eu/food/international/trade/interpretation_imports.pdf)
Find out more
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm
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