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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

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Health and Consumers Directorate-General (DG SANCO) Howard Batho, Head of import and OIE sector

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  1. Health and Consumers Directorate-General(DG SANCO)Howard Batho, Head of import and OIE sector Unit D1, Animal Health and Standing Committees

  2. 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

  3. Conditions relating to imports are equivalent to those for domestic producers • Food must conform to our standards, irrespective of its origins

  4. Yes, we do have high food safety standards • Need them to prevent introduction of animal and plant diseases • Serious consumer concern about food safety issues • Enable trade within the EU and with Third Countries • Result – high standards but equivalent for internal trade and imports

  5. The legislative framework Animal Health Directive 2002/99/EC Public health Regulations (EC) No 852/2004, 853/2004 and 854/2004 (Hygiene package) Legal basis Implementing Legislation 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) Enforcement legislation

  6. The international context of EU legislation • It follows WTO rules and its SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) Agreement which follows OIE & CODEX standards • It is scientifically based: the European Food Safety Authority (in Parma, Italy) gives scientific advice to the Commission and to Member States

  7. 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 health • based on: • scientific principles • an assessment of the health risks • on international standards (OIE, CODEX) • proportional to the “appropriate level of protection” chosen by the country

  8. The EU is the largest importer of agricultural products in the world!

  9. 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

  10. Elements to be taken into account • Veterinary services - listing in principle • Legal and financial powers • Animal health situation - certification • Disease notification and control measures • Active and passive surveillance • Public health • Residue monitoring • Approval of establishments • Hygienic measures – HACCP, ante and post mortem inspection • Favorable audit by FVO 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)

  11. Risk mitigating factors • Zoning and compartmentalisation • Heat treatment • Other physical treatments • De-boning and maturation • Channelled import - end use • Vector – free period • Time delay • Quarantine and testing

  12. Support for third countries (article 50 of OFFC – Official Food and Feed Control Regulation) • Capacity building • Assistance by Community experts on the spot • Participation in training courses • Phased introduction • Twinning projects • Assistance for providing information

  13. Third Country programmes 2008 RASFF/TRACES Assessment of HPAI situation Avian Influenza EU food import standards Food Testing ASEAN Countries

  14. Training 2009-2010 Approaching5000 Participants/Year150 Training Activities/Year1000 Training Days/YearEstimated Budget 11,5 M€ (2009) 13M€ (2010)BTSF Africa 10M€ (2009-2010)

  15. Conclusion • EU legislation is not an obstacle to trade, it is essential to trade • Follows WTO/SPS international guides • Requires efforts on the side of the third country • Possibility to enter new markets, in particular in the higher value end of the market • A better food safety situation in the third country

  16. Important links • FVO 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)

  17. Important links • General guidance on EU import and transit rules for live animals and animal products from third countriesof 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)

  18. Find out more Visit our website http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm

  19. Thank you for your attention

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