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

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

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

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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

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The legislative framework
Public health Regulations (EC) No 852/2004,
853/2004 and 854/2004 (Hygiene package)
Animal Health Directive 2002/99/EC
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
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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

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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

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

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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

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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)
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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

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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

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

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

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Important links

• FVO inspection reports (http//ec.europa.eu/food/f
  vo/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/establish
  ments/third_country/index_en.htm)

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Important links

• General 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/guid
  e_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)

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Find out more
Visit our website
http//ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.h
tm
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Thank you for your attention