The EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

(RASFF)

Brussels, 23 November 2011

Stefanie Roth, DG SANCOEuropean Commission

Objective

Is to provide a rapid exchange of information among European countries and the European Commission as well as third countries about direct or indirect risks detected in relation to food or feed

How it started?

1978 – an incident concerning oranges from Israel injected with mercury found in the Netherlands and GermanyPolitical terrorism that provoked concern about food safety and resulted in setting up rapid alert system

Legal basis (1)Articles 50-52 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law:

Article 50: Rapid alert system Article 51: Implementing measuresArticle 52: Confidentiality rules for the

rapid alert system

Legal basis (2a)Commission Regulation (EU) 16/2011 laying down implementing measures for the Rapid alert system for food and feed

Article 1: DefinitionsArticle 2: Duties of members of the networkArticle 3: Alert notificationsArticle 4: Information notificationsArticle 5: Border rejection notificationsArticle 6: Follow-up notifications

Legal basis (2b)Commission Regulation (EU) 16/2011 laying down implementing measures for the Rapid alert system for food and feed

Article 7: Notification submissionArticle 8: Verification of the notificationArticle 9: Notification withdrawal and

amendmentsArticle 10: Exchange of information with

third countriesArticle 11: PublicationsArticle 12: Enter into force:

30.01.2011

Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

RASFF network, members and flow of information

Members of the RASFFContact point in each of the 30 Member Countries

European Food Safety Authority

European Commission

EFTA Surveillance Authority

Switzerland – partial participation

Austria Greece Portugal Iceland Belgium Hungary Romania NorwayBulgaria Ireland Slovakia LiechstensteinCyprus Italy Slovenia Czech Republic Latvia Spain Denmark Lithuania Sweden Estonia Luxembourg United Kingdom Finland MaltaFrance NetherlandsGermany Poland

RASFF networks

Simple structure:clearly identified contact points organized way of information exchange by means of templates

In case of an urgent notification outside of office hours all members have out-of-hours arrangements (24/7)

Criteria for notification

Food and feed for which exists a direct or indirect risk to human health

Since 2006 also animal health and environmental threat for feed: this includes pet food (Regulation (EC) N°183/2005)

Alert NotificationsMeans a notification of a risk (deriving from food or feed) that requires or might require rapid action in another member country.

Information NotificationsMeans a notification of a risk (deriving from food or feed) that does not require rapid action in another member country.

Border Rejection Notifications

Means a notification of a any rejection of food or feed (related to a direct or indirect risk to human health) by a competent authority of a member country.

RASFF NewsInformation related to the safety of food/feedNot communicated as an ‘alert’, ‘information’or ‘border rejection’notificationBut judged as interesting for competent authorities

What triggers RASFF notifications

Usually triggered by a control:A control on the marketA control at the EU border

Usually an official control but it can be an own-check, verified by official authorities and followed up by an official control if necessaryConsumers’ complaint – minority of the cases:

e.g. food poisoning

Basis for notifications

border rejectionsborder control consignment releasedofficial control on the marketCompany’s own check consumer complaintsfood poisoningofficial control in a non-member country

Upstream workflow

Outcome of investigations in a member country

Collecting of all information available

preparation of an notification

and classification by the National Contact Point (NCP)

Commission Contact Point

Downstream workflow

Transmission of the notification to all membercountries and third countries involved

Verification of the notification received (subject has to be complete, correct and has to fall under the

scope of the RASFF)

Makes small changes where necessary

Commission Contact Point

MEMBER COUNTRYNOTIFICATION

RASFF ASSESSMENT

FEEDBACK FROM

MEMBER COUNTRIES

RASFFTRANSMISSION

MEMBERCOUNTRIES

THIRD COUNTRYCONCERNED

Business/Consumer

FEEDBACK FROM THIRD COUNTRY

CONCERNED

RASFFPORTAL

ANNUALREPORT

Border Control

Market Control

Third country

Media

Templates – main contentGeneral informationHazardsProductRisk/measuresTraceability of the lot(s)Border controlOther information

Template(version 3.2.)

RASFF in the context of third countries

RASFF is obliged by Art. 50 of EC Regulation 178/2002 to inform third countries about:

risk originating from these countrieshazardous EU products send to these countries

RASFF trade facilitating effects

Thanks to notifications the authorities of countries concerned are able to take the appropriate actions.

The exporter has the possibility to resolve the problem that led to the notification which consequently allows the trade to resume normally.

RASFF websitehttp://ec.europa.eu/rasff

information regarding the system, its legal basis, members, news…publicly accessible database - RASFF Portalpublications

Thank you for yourattention!