Annual Report Executive Summaries

1. Annual ReportExecutive Summaries Food and Veterinary Office Unit F1-Country profiles, Coordination of Follow-up

2. Agenda for Executive Summaries • Commissions general background and feedback on submitted executive summaries • Member States experiences preparing executive summaries • Discussions and conclusions

3. Background to the executive Summary concept • Pending completion of the separate work underway with Member states on the collection of information on official controls (Working Group on the general application of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004), an Executive Summary would provide a practical means of achieving the objectives of- • extracting maximum value from Member States’ Annual Reports • improving the quality of the Commission’s reporting

4. No change in reporting requirements • The Executive Summary, based on existing guidelines for the Annual Report (Commission Decision 2008/654/EC), does not impose any new reporting requirements on Member States, but rather aims to achieve more meaningful use of available data • The data collection project and the Executive Summary exercise might ultimately lead to a change in legislative requirements and/or the guidelines on the Annual Report

5. Value Added • Executive Summaries add strategic value to the Annual Report by: • Providing key strategic information • providing a high-level and comprehensive statement on overall performance • bringing more coherence to self-assessment • providing a tool to improve annual reports, data collection • providing a tool for communication with the various stakeholders

6. Development of the model structure:Pilot Project • Worked models, based on 2009 Annual Reports, provided by 10 Member States • Results discussed in Grange on 13/14 April "Network of Experts on Multi-annual National Control Plans and Annual Reports" • Model revised based on experience and feedback • The pilot project demonstrated that producing Executive Summaries is worthwhile and adds value

7. Production of Executive Summary for 2010 Annual Report • The model structure was circulated to Member States by letter 20 May 2011 Responses from Member States during CVO meeting • 15 will produce Executive Summaries for 2010(AT, BE, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, HU, IT, NL, RO, SE, SI, SK, UK) • 1 will use for 2011 (PL)

8. Production of Executive Summary for 2010 Annual Report CVO meeting June 2011 • COM noted that the executive summary exercise was a co-operative one and was not being imposed • Nonetheless, there were benefits to preparing executive summaries: • it would be helpful for stakeholders to see some consistency in the approach of Member States; • it would provide reassurance that Member States and all control authorities are working within a uniform system; • executive summaries required a modest effort while leaving Member States flexible on the report itself.

9. Structure of an executive summary • Overall effectiveness of controls • Key data on controls • Trend analysis of non-compliance • Enforcement trends: action taken in cases of non-compliance • National system of audits • Resources • Actions taken to improve performance of control authorities and FBOs

10. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries • Feedback is based on evaluation 13 MSs Executive Summaries (NL, LT, IT, HU, AT, BE, FI, CY, PT, SK, SI, EE, CZ) • Number of pages in summary 3-34 (average 7) • Number of MSs have not yet provided their annual reports for 2010 • All Member States followed Commissions suggested executive summary format

11. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Overall effectiveness of controls • Article 9.5 Annual report guidelines: • The statement on the overall performance should be based on an analysis and synthesis of results of the controls and provide descriptions of: • (a) the performance indicators applied to those objectives, where appropriate; and • (b) results for each objective, where appropriate.

12. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Overall effectiveness of controls • All MSs described effectiveness of controls • Further points for improvement: • In some cases effectiveness of controls is descriptive (general statements) with no quantitative targets; • In certain sectors effectiveness not addressed: plant health, animal welfare, feed; • Some MSs indicate that control arrangements were implemented, sanctions applied, comparison with previous year (but no indication if objectives were achieved)

13. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Key data on controls • Main summarized key data provided on controls • Important to cover all main sectors in Regulation 822/2004 (food, feed, AH, AW, PH and imports) • Different approaches used to indicate Risk assessment criteria (main criteria described, links provided to detail explanations in report) • Further points for improvement: • Data for some sectors: feed, plant health, imports • Trends in intensity of controls

14. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Trend analysis of non-compliance • All MSs provided good description of non compliances • Further points for improvement: • Focus on analysis of frequency of non compliances in various sectors and trends (evaluation of data over the period of years) • Emphasis on analysis of possible underlying causes (root cause analysis)

15. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Enforcement trends: action taken in cases of non compliance • Very detailed information provided on enforcement measures taken in cases of non compliances • Closure of business operators, administrative fines, warnings, sanctions etc. • Further points for improvement: • Main trends of enforcement

16. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries National Audit systems • Summary provided on audits carried out and sectors covered • Statistic provided on non compliances found and corrective actions • Further points for improvement: • Summary of audit results • Action taken leading to further improvements

17. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Resources • Compressed statistical information provided (including inspection bodies and laboratory networks) • Some MSs give reference to already existing statistical data in report • Further points for improvement: • Changes in resource allocation compared with previous year

18. Feedback on evaluation of executive summaries Actions taken to improve performance of Control authorities and FBOs • Very useful information provided on developments in MSs

19. CONCLUSIONS • Very useful summarized information and analysis provided • Summaries will improve the quality of the Commission’s reporting to different stakeholders • Main areas for improvement: • Emphasis on self-assessment and trends • Sector coverage under Regulation 882/2004: plant health, animal welfare, imports

20. CONCLUSIONS • Simplification of executive summary format (points for discussion): • In relation to Risk assessment criteria to include explanatory note “indicate only main changes” • Under National system of audits point to modify the sub-heading “Main summary of audit results” • Under Resources point to include explanatory note “changes compared to previous year” • As regards actions taken in cases of non-compliances to include enforcement trends

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