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EUROPEAN COMMISSION Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) Plant Health Group. Monitoring the delivery of plant health controls in the EU. Presented by Lars Christoffersen 25 September 2003. Presentation. Why? Background How? The FVO Plant Health Group How is it done in practice.
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) Plant Health Group Monitoring the delivery of plant health controls in the EU Presented by Lars Christoffersen 25 September 2003
Presentation • Why? • Background • How? • The FVO Plant Health Group • How is it done in practice
Background • European Single Market from 1993 • Controls still with Member States • Uniform application across the EU: • checks at place of production • checks at EU entry points • control/eradication programmes
FVO Plant Health Group - Mandate • Mandate: • Council Directive 2000/29/EC, Art. 21 (previously 77/93/EEC)
FVO Plant Health Group - Mandate • Mandate for Inspections regarding: • Plant passport regime • Protected zone regime • Import controls • Member States safeguard measures • Derogations/equivalency (3rd countries)
FVO Plant Health Group - Mandate • Inspections must be in co-operation with Member State: • Advance notice • Member State shall facilitate • EC Inspectors’ rights and obligations: • Same as national inspectors
FVO Plant Health Group - Set-up: • Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection:
FVO Plant Health Group - Set-up: • Food and Veterinary Office:
FVO Plant Health Group - Set-up: • Staffing: • FVO: 109 professionals • Unit Food of Plant Origin: 19 professionals • Plant Health Group: 6 agronomists
The practical work: • 15 - 20 inspections per year • Strategy: “systems audits” instead of outbreak inspections • Rolling 6 months plan of inspections • FVO manual of procedures
The practical work: • The inspection mission process: Identification as priority notification + inspection plan + questionnaire implementation of inspection reporting + recommendations follow-up + close-out
The inspection mission process: • The pre-inspection questionnaire: • Statistical data (production, trade etc.) • National legislation • Organisation of control system • Resources • Data on surveys and inspections • Laboratories
The inspection mission process: • Implementation of inspection: • Itinerary prepared in advance • Opening meeting with Central Authority • Visits to regional and local offices • Visits to laboratories • Visits to producers, traders etc. • Closing meeting
The inspection mission process: • Reporting: • Follows standard format and time plan • Includes recommendations • Consultation with inspected country • Publication: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/inspections/pi/reports/index_en.html
The inspection mission process: • Follow-up: • Action plan for addressing recommendations • If satisfactory: close-out • If not: • further inquiries, follow-up mission • country profiles, high level meetings • infringement procedure • Adaptation of legislation
Conclusions • “System audits” necessary • Procedures are important • Systematic follow-up necessary • Good work requires resources