Health and Consumers Directorate-General (DG SANCO)

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Health and Consumers Directorate-General(DG
SANCO)
Unit D1, Animal Health and Standing
Committees HOWARD BATHO HEAD OF THE IMPORT AND
OIE SECTOR
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Imports of animals and animal products from third
countries into the EU VETERINARY SERVICES AND
BIPS
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• The EU is the largest importer of agricultural
  products in the world!

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The European Union 27 Member States 500
million consumers
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Institutional Triangle Decision Makers
European Parliament
Council of the EU
Interpretation of law
Financial control
European Commission
European Court of Justice
European Court of Auditors
Advisory Committees
Economic Social Committee
Committee of the Regions
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The EU legislative framework
Articles in the EC Treaty
Legal basis
Acts of the European Parliament and of the Council
Acts of the Council
The Council or the EP Council can delegate
legislative powers to the Commission to implement
certain acts
Acts of the Commission
Implementing Legislation
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Adoption of a Commission Decision
Other DGs
Draft proposal by DG SANCO
Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal
Health
College of the Commission
Commission Decision
Publication in Official Journal
Implementation
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SANCO structure
01/12/2007
Principal Adviser
Director General Robert Madelin
01 Audit and evaluation
03 Science Stakeholder relations
02 Strategy and analysis
Deputy Director General with special
responsibility for Directorates D, E, F and
Scientific Matters P. Testori Coggi
04 Veterinary control programmes
B Consumer Affairs
C Public Health Risk assessment
D Animal Health Welfare
E Safety of the Food Chain
F Food Veterinary Office
Principal Adviser
A General Affairs
D1
E1
F1
Co-ordination institutional relations
Policy analysis development relations with
consumer organisations international relations
Programme management
Animal Health and Standing Committees
Country profiles, coordination of follow-up
Biotechnology and Plant health
Health Information
D2
E2
F2
Legal affairs
Animal Welfare and Feed
Food of animal origin mammals
Hygiene Control measures
Unfair commercial practices other consumer
protection legislation
Health threats
F3
Financial resources and controls
Food of animal origin birds and fish
Product and service safety
D3
E3
International questions (multilateral)
Chemicals, contaminants, pesticides
Health determinants
F4
Information systems and publications
Food of plant origin
Protection of legal, economic and other
consumer interests
D4
E4
Food Law, nutrition and labelling
International questions (bilateral)
Health strategy
F5
Human resources
Animal nutrition import controls, residues
Enforcement and consumer redress
Health measures
F6
Administrative Affairs Grange
Quality, planning and development
Risk assessment
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SCFCAH

• The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and
  Animal Health (SCFCAH) is a Regulatory Committee
  of the Commission, to which the Council (and the
  European Parliament) have delegated their power.
• The SCFCAH enables the Commission to formally
  consult the Member States by a vote before
  adopting and implementing measures, thus ensuring
  that they are effectively adapted to the legal
  and administrative reality in each country.
• There are 8 sections of the Standing Committee on
  the Food Chain and Animal Health the most
  important are Animal Health and Welfare,
  Biological Safety of the Food Chain Controls
  and Import Conditions.

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COMITOLOGY VOTING RESULTS ON A FORMAL OPINION As
of 01 January 2007
Qualified majority 255 votes and
expressing the vote of the majority of the 27
Member States (i.e. at least 14 MS) Blocking
minority 91 votes
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The comitology procedure - amending implementing
legislation
Risk assessment on for example Aethina tumida
Council Directive 92/65/EEC
Draft decision amending the import requirements
for bees
Standing Committee on the food chain and animal
health (SCFCAH)
Safeguard measure Immediately applicable
Published Decision with updated import
requirements 2003/881/EC
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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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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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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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General principle
Animal products or live animals should only be
authorised for entry into the Community if there
is no potential risk to animal or public health
relating to

• origin

animal

• product

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Risk assessment

• Origin
• Country
• Establishment

• Product
• Type beef offal, sheep meat
• Treatment temperature, pH, deboned
• Purpose human consumption, feed

• Animal
• Species
• Disease

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Implementing legislation - Import requirements

• Origin
• Animal health status
• Animal health legislation
• Structure and powers of veterinary services

• Product
• Certificate
• Animal (transport, clinical exam, slaughter)
• Treatment (temperature, deboned)

• Animal
• Certificate
• Quarantine
• Testing

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Import Legislation

• EU Import conditions
• Approved Countries
• EU Certificates
• Approved establishments
• Import procedures Control Directives
• Internal Market 90/425/EEC - 89/662/EEC
• Third country imports 91/496/EEC - 97/78/EC

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Enforcement legislation -animal products live
animals

• Council Directive 97/78/EC
• laying down the principles governing the
  organisation of veterinary checks on animal
  products entering the Community from third
  countries
• Council Directive 91/496/EEC
• laying down the principles governing the
  organization of veterinary checks on animals
  entering the Community from third countries

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Controls at EU border
In order to enter the EU, live animals and
products of animal origin must be subjected on
arrival to veterinary checks at the external
frontiers of the Community at border inspection
posts (BIPs)

• BIPs must be approved and listed by Commission
  services for different commodities, including
  animals
• Advance warning of the import must be given to
  the authorities responsible for the BIP
• Dedicated line for animals
• Documentary, identity, physical check are carried
  out in the BIP (Commission Decision 94/360/EC)
• TRACES

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The control chain

• Import legislation
• Origin
• Product

Third country

• Enforcement

BIP
European Community

• Controls on intracommunity trade
• animal identification
• animal by-products and waste

Community-wide measures and controls

• disease prevention
• bio-security

On-farm measures and controls
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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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EU Legislation import
Products of animal origin
Public health Hygiene Package Reg. 852/2004/EC,
853/2004/EC Residues Dec. 2004/432/EC Reg
882/2004/EC (off. controls)
legal base
Animal health Dir. 2002/99/EC
Implementation (SCFACH)
Example Fresh meat Dec. 79/542/EEC Meat products
Dec. 2007/777/EC Poultry meat Dec.
2006/696/EC Game meat Dec. 2000/585/EC
Horizontal Legislation
Veterinary controls 97/78/EC
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EU Legislation import
Live animals
Animal health
Public health
Ungulates Dir. 2004/68EC Horses
90/426/EEC Poultry Dir. 90/539/EEC Aquaculture
Dir. 91/67/EEC (2006/88/EC) Balai Dir. 92/65/EEC
Reg. EC No.999/2001 Residues Dec. 2004/432/EC
Example Artiodactila Dec. 79/542/EEC Poultry
Dec. 2006/696/EC
Veterinary Controls 91/496/EEC
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COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2002/99/EC

• laying down the animal health rules governing the
  production, processing, distribution and
  introduction of products
• of animal origin for human consumption
• (OJ No. L 18, 23.1.2003, p. 11)

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COMMISSION DECISION (2005/93/EC)

• as regards transitional provisions concerning
  the introduction and the storage period for
  consignments of certain products of animal origin
  in customs warehouses in the Community

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COMMISSION DECISION 2005/92/EC

• as regards animal health conditions,
  certification and transitional provisions
  concerning the
• introduction and storage period for consignments
  of certain products of animal origin in free
• zones, free warehouses and premises of operators
  supplying cross border means of sea transport
• in the Community

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Council Decision 79/542/EEC
drawing up a list of third countries or parts of
third countries, and laying down animal and
public health and veterinary certification
conditions, for importation into the Community of
certain live animals and their fresh meat.

• Legal base
• 2002/99/EC (AH products)
• 2004/68/EC (AH live animals)
• Hygiene Package (public health)

Certificates Contains both animal and public
health requirements
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Personal and illegal imports

• Council Regulation (EC) No 745/2004
• Lays down permanent rules preventing personal
  consignments of meat and milk from entering the
  EU
• Awareness to Passengers
• Enforcement
• Information on the results of the enforcement of
  this regulation must be sent by MSs to the
  Commission every year (before 1 March).

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INTERNATIONAL CATERING WASTE

• What happens to it?
• Incinerated or deep buried
• Are you sure?
• Check it!!
• ONE OF THE KEY CRITICAL POINTS

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The role of the Commissions Food and Veterinary
Office (FVO)

• On-the-spot inspections are carried out by the
  FVO in Member States and third countries (
  250/year) to verify compliance with the
  requirements of the EU food safety, quality,
  veterinary and plant health legislation within
  the EU and in third countries exporting to the EU
• Inspection reports are drawn up setting out the
  findings of each inspection, together with
  conclusions and recommendations
• Action plans are presented by the competent
  authority to the FVO on how it intends to address
  any shortcomings. Together with other Commission
  services, the FVO evaluates this action plan and
  monitors its implementation through a number of
  follow-up activities
• General reports on major items subjected to
  series of inspections as well as annual reports
  are issued as well by the FVO and published on
  our website

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Conclusion

• EU legislation is not an obstacle to trade, it is
  essential to trade
• Follows WTO/SPS international guides
• No point in having good conditions for imports if
  no veterinary control at BIP.
• Not possible to have a zero risk!
• Dont forget catering waste NOT for pig feed.

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Thank you for your attention
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Food safety
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