federal agency for the safety of the food chain federal agency for the safety of the food chain...

Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain

Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC)2000 - 2011

International Affairs - Léonard BOSSCHAERT

Federal Agency

for the Safety

of the Food Chain

22-11-2011


European Context

• Food Safety White Book (2000)

• General Food Law [Reg. (EC) N° 178/2002]• First responsibility = operator• Establishment of the European Food Safety

Authority (EFSA)

• New Regulations• Hygiene Package (2004) in force on 01/01/2006• Official Food and Feed Control Regulation [Reg. (EC)

N° 882/2004]• New standards

22-11-2011

Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain22-11-2011

Gen.Food Law = Reg. (EC) N° 178/2002

ART. 17 : RESPONSIBILITIES

FVOFood and Veterinary

Office

PUBLIC AUTHORITY

(FASFC)

OPERATORS

Official control & enforcement

Communication

Self-checking

Monitor(COM EU)


Belgian context

• Modernisation of civil service• New food safety policy in BE based on EU

policy:– Emphasis on safety of the entire food chain– Consumer should occupy a central position– Political responsability clearly defined : the

[Minister of Public Health]/Agriculture = only one Minister has the final responsibility

• Establishment of the FASFC and of the FPS


New Belgian food safety policy

• Merger of 6 control services of the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Health

• FASFC

• Merger of responsibilities related to product standards

• FPS (=Federal Public Service) Public Health, Safety of the Food Chain and Environment

• Operational standards• FASFC

• Clear division within the FASFC between control policy and control activities (2 DG of the FASFC)

• Independent risk assessment (Scientific Committee of the FASFC)

22-11-2011


AGRICULTURE

PUBLIC HEALTH

RAWMATERIALS

PLANTPRODUCTS

VETERINARY SERVICES

ANIMALPRODUCTS

FOODSTUFFINSPECTION

Merger of 6 control services

FASFC

FPS

DG4

DG5

INSTITUTE for VETERINARYINSPECTION


FPS Public Health, Safety of the Food Chain & Environment (= former Ministry)

• Policy making competences:– Product standards (pesticides, feed, food)– Standards for animal health– Standards for plant health– Standards and control policy in the field of animal

welfare

The competence for veterinary medicinal products has been transferred to the « Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products ».


FASFC : The Food Agency

• Agency : all inspection and control services in agri- food chain

• Food/Feed Safety• Animal Health• Plant Health• Animal Welfare

• Competences :– Operational standards– Registration, authorization, approval of operators– Certification– Prevention, sensitization and information – Laboratories – Monitoring the various links of the food chain (products and

production processes)


Suppliers

of agriculture (feed industry, raw materials, pesticides)

Agriculture

Food industry

Wholesale business

Retail

Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs

Transport

MoH

MoH

MoA-A (2)

MoA-P (2)

FASFC

Our goal :optimising food chain checks


The core process of the FASFC


Close cooperation with stakeholders

• The FASFC stakeholders are divided into 3 groups, which are all represented in the Advisory Committee (monthly meeting) :– Sectoral organizations– Consumer organizations– Governmental bodies (federal and regional)

• All stakeholders can view the inspection checklists on the FASFC website


Two consultative bodies

• The Advisory committee– Includes all partners of the FASFC– Opinions on risk management (self-checking, financing,

communication, …)– Control programming and planning– Results / statistics

• The Scientific board:– Independent risk assessment– Opinions on risk management standards, regulations


DG Control

Staff and supportNational Inquiry Unit

NIU

Directorate for Coordination of the French and German speaking parts of Belgium

Directorate for Coordination of the Dutch speaking part of Belgium

Directorate of CentralAdministration

PCUBrabant wallon

PCUNamur

PCUHainaut

PCULiège

PCULuxem-bourg

PCUBrussels Capital.

PCUOost-

Vlaand

PCUWest-Vlaand

PCUAntwer-

pen

PCULim-burg

PCEVlaamsBrabant

National Implementation and Coordination Unit : NICU

StaffPersonne lLogistics

Budget-A ccounts

Border Inspection PostsB IP

Zaventem, Gent, Zeebrugge, A ntwerpen, Liège

Controls and A pprovalsAdministration

Supplies to agriculturePrimary production

F irst processing

Sector HeadPrimary P roduction

Sector


Production and processingof food

and feed

Sector HeadProcessing

Sector


D istributionCommunity kitchens

Catering industry

Sector HeadD istribution

Sector

PCU Head

Structure of a PCU

22-11-2011


The FASFC as it is today

• Staff of 1.325 employees (1150 FTE) including– 700 in decentralized services of DG Control (PCU)– 150 in our 5 internal laboratories of DG Lab

• Policy makers, frontline-inspectors, scientists, ICT-specialists, communication experts, financial officers, laboratory technicians, support staff

• ± 665 part-time assigned (contracted) veterinarians (abattoirs, etc)


General principlesfinancing system I• “General” costs financed by national federal budget

• Policy-making / Corporate services• Communication to and with consumers;

• National Control Program covering the whole of the food chain financed by a contribution (levy) charged to all operators– General control programmes

• official control of the entire food chain• cannot be allocated to a certain group of operators

• All costs due to official controls on demand financed by a retribution (charge/due) of individual operators;


General principles financing system II • Equitable distribution between sectors and

actors of the food chain; • Take into account the level of risk;• Take into account implementation of self-

checking systems– Companies with a certified self-checking system:

• Bonus : contribution decreased

– Companies without a certified self-checking system:

• Malus : contribution increased


Official controls of the FASFC

• 1. National Control Plan (MANCP)• 2 pillars:

– Analyses

– Inspections

• Multi-annual, yearly revised

• Programmes established (BE, EU) : e.g. on radioactivity, dioxins,…

• 2. Systematic controls : e.g. BSE, meat inspection, animal welfare, BIP

• 3. Controls not included in programme : following complaints, official reports on infringements, various information, certification, …


Control plan

• Legal framework : Reg. (EC) N° 882/2004• MANCP (multi-annual integrated national control

plan)• Based on risk analysis• Uniformly distributed on national territory• Balanced distribution among business sectors and

operators• Significant statistics


Communication : channels

• Internal communication • Foodnotes (information magazine)• Intranet

• External communication – Website: www.favv.be – Press service– Contact point– Newsletter– Information leaflets– Annual report – business plan – Taking part in events - discussions


Values of the Food Agency

• Professionalism• Integrity• Openness and transparency• Polyvalence• Participation


Thank you for your attention

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