Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Related to the SPS Agreement

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Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
Related to the SPS Agreement

• The Contribution of the
• Food and Agriculture Organization
• of the United Nations

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Relevance to FAO Mandate

• FAO mandate calls for raising levels of
  nutrition and standards of livingand
  contributing towards expanding world economy and
  ensuring humanitys freedom from hunger (FAO
  Constitution)
• FAO hosts the Secretariats of two international
  standards setting bodies recognised by the SPS
  Agreement, namely
• - The Codex Alimentarius Commission
• - The International Plant Protection
  Convention.

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Main Divisions/Units Involved

• For Food safety and consumer protection,
• - The Food Quality and Standards Service
• - The Fish Utilization and Marketing Service
• - The Joint FAO/IAEA Division on Nuclear
  Techniques in Food and Agriculture
• For Animal Health
• - The Animal Production and Health Division
• For Plant Health
• - The Plant Production and Protection Division

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Coverage of Capacity Building Activities

• Field projects
• Training courses, workshops and seminars
• Development and dissemination of tools

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Field Projects (1)

• Cover a wide range of subjects and beneficiaries
• Tailored to meet the specific needs of countries
  or regions
• Funded through TF, TCP, GCP arrangements
• Involve Technical Divisions in HQ and
  decentralised technical officers and operational
  units.

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Field Projects (2)

• Examples of recently approved projects
• - Strengthening National Codex Committees
  (India, Tunisia, Uruguay)
• - Reinforcing Import/Export Inspection and
  Certification Systems (Vietnam)
• - Review and Reorganisation of National Food
  Control Systems (Morocco)
• - Controlling Residues of Veterinary Drugs in
  Meat Products (China, Iran)
• - Improving the Quality and Safety of Fresh
  Produce (Regional-Latin America)

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Field Projects (3)

• Over 50 projects currently under implementation
  in all developing regions of the world 27 are
  funded by FAO/TCP.
• Priority given to Institutional building
  including regulatory frameworks and standards
  training of technical and managerial staff
  upgrading the scientific and technical
  capabilities enhancing the quality and
  effectiveness of countries participation in
  international standards setting mechanisms.

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Training courses, workshops and seminars

• Priority area in FAO Technical Assistance
  Programmes
• Covers a wide range of subjects such as Risk
  analysis Quality assurance systems HACCP Role
  and functions of National Codex Committees
  Laboratory Quality Assurance and Accreditation
  Management of Food Control Systems Impact of
  WTO/SPS Agreement on Fish Industry Application
  of GAP and GMP along the food chain etc..
• Pre-Codex Workshops on pertinent issues related
  to food safety

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Development and Dissemination of Tools

• Reports of Experts Consultations (recent
  examples Risk analysis Foods derived from
  biotechnology Microbiological risk assessment
  Animal feeding and food safety Probiotics etc.)
• Manuals and Guidelines 17 Manuals covering all
  aspects of food control (Food import inspection
  Food for export Laboratory analysis HACCP
  etc..) a number of related guidelines such as
  Guidelines for establishing effective national
  food control system Model food law Sampling
  plans for aflatoxin analysis etc

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Building Capacity for Biotechnology, and Food
Quality and Safety, Phyto and Zoosanitary
Standards An Integrated programme

• Trust Fund proposal prepared at the initiative of
  FAO/ DG
• Covers Biotechnology SPS related matters
• Objectives
• (1) Raising awareness
• (2) Updating of regulatory and legal frameworks
  
• (3) Institution building at national and
  regional levels Human resource development
• (4) Promotion of sound governance and standard
  setting and
• (5) Enhancing scientific capabilities.

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FAO Trust Fund on Food Security and Food Safety

• Covers transboundary pests and diseases of
  animals and plants
• Uses FAOs Emergency Prevention System (EMPRES)
• Target funding US500 Million
• Demand-driven approach to funds allocation

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FAOs Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP)

• Special fund created in 1980 to support emergency
  actions and provide seed money for more
  comprehensive development projects
• Fund at the disposal of FAO/DG
• TCP project budget lt US 400 - Duration lt 2
  years
• Requests must meet established criteria and must
  receive government support

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How to Contact us

• Food Quality and Standards Service
• Food and Nutrition Division
• FAO
• Via delle Terme di Caracalla
• 00100 Rome, Italy
• email food-quality_at_fao.org / Codex_at_fao.org
• Web www.fao.org
• www.codexalimentarius.net