What is Better Training for Safer Food?

Better Training for Safer Food is a Commission initiative aimed at organising an EU training strategy in the areas of food and feed law, animal health and animal welfare rules and plant health rules.

What is the purpose of this initiative?

Nearly all food, feed, animal health and welfare and plant health legislation which Member States must apply is EU-based, which allows not only for a high level of consumer, animal and plant protection across the EU but also the smooth operation of the internal market for the products related to the food and feed chain. With a solid body of legislation in place, the focus is now on ensuring compliance with these rules, which in turn requires efficient and objective controls throughout the EU.

In order to achieve this, high levels of competence and expertise amongst controlling authorities are needed. Broad knowledge of different hazards that can occur in the food chain and an understanding of market mechanisms and sources from which food and feed can be obtained are vital. There is also a need for staff to be informed about problems specific to particular production, processing, conservation and distribution methods. Control staff must also be able to identify non-compliance and fraudulent practices.

What is the legal basis for the initiative?

Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 on official food and feed controls sets down strict control requirements to ensure compliance with EU food safety legislation, and a standard approach to controls by Member State authorities. The same Regulation pinpoints training as a key factor in harmonising the development of EU and national control systems and ensuring that the controls are properly carried out. Article 51 of the Regulation states that the Commission can develop EU level training programmes.

Why has the Commission adopted a Communication on Better Training for Safer Food?

The Commission has adopted the Communication partly to provide an overview of the range of possible options that may be used for organising training food and feed law, animal health and welfare, and plant health in the long term. The ultimate aim of the Communication is to present what the Commission considers to be the option best able to offer efficient training using the available resources in the most cost-effective way.

What is the Commission’s favoured structural option for organising training in the long term?

The Commission is of the opinion that an executive agency is the option capable of responding most effectively to training needs in the long term. A brand new structure could be established, but the prospect of merging training activities with those of the Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme is particularly interesting as the set-up is already in place. Before the new structure can be implemented, however, procedural steps such as the ordering of a cost-benefit analysis, must be undertaken.

What are the planned participation levels at present and in the long term?

By the end of the year, around 1500 participants will have received training during 2006. This number should increase, to eventually reach an annual average of 6000 participants.

What are the main aims of the training programmes under this initiative?

The training aims to keep control staff in Member States up-to-date with all aspects of EU law in the area of food safety and animal health, and help to ensure a uniform understanding of how these rules should be applied and checked. It will also promote a more harmonised, efficient and objective approach to the application of control systems across all Member States, which in turn will allow food businesses to compete on a level playing field.

The training programmes should also help third country staff to understand EU import requirements and the controls that must be done before goods can be exported to the EU. This should enable an increase in the trade of safe food and encourage fair trade with third countries and in particular developing countries.

Who will receive the training?

The training under the Better Training for Safer Food initiative is designed for the competent authorities of Member States involved in official control activities. It will complement, not replace, national training of control authorities.

Can authorities from non-EU states participate?

Yes. It is essential that third countries wishing to carry out trade with the EU are familiar with EU import requirements and mandatory food safety standards. There is the possibility of EU support for meeting these requirements, especially for developing countries who may encounter more difficulties in doing so. For this purpose, activities organised for Member States in the EU are open to participants from third countries. In addition, specific training sessions are also organised for third country participants on location.

Who benefits from the Better Training for Safer Food initiative?

The Better Training for Safer Food Initiative offers many benefits. Firstly, controls staff will have clearer guidelines and a better understanding of the checks they need to carry out. Businesses across the EU and elsewhere can compete on a level playing field and reap the benefits of increased trade in safe food. Third countries, particularly developing countries, should be better able to access the EU market and become more aware of the possibilities for assistance in doing so. For EU consumers, the training will mean better controls on food and feed being put on the market, which will mean greater safety standards within the food chain and more protection against health threats. Finally, animals will benefit as the training will also focus on the EU rules for protecting their welfare.

How are the training sessions currently being organised?

Training for 2006 and 2007 is mainly being organised through the launch of calls for tender for the organisation and implementation of ad-hoc training projects. Contracts are awarded to bodies which are responsible for the organisation of the courses.

The Commission may also use the Calls for Expression of Interest file to select applicants to submit proposals for organising activities in response to restricted invitations to tender. This could lead to the award of contracts worth up to €137.000.

What has been the focus of the EU training activities already implemented under this initiative?

The series of training programmes launched for 2006 encompasses:

• The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system for preventing contamination of food and feed;
• Control strategies for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI);
• EU standards for imports of fishery and aquaculture products and fruit and vegetables;
• Veterinary checks in airport and seaport border inspection posts;
• EU standards on animal by-products (ABPs);
• Welfare standards for the stunning and killing of animals in slaughterhouses or disease control situations.

Calls for tender have been launched for training programmes to run in EU Member States in 2007 covering:

• Veterinary checks in airport border inspection posts
• Veterinary checks in seaport border inspection posts
• Monitoring and controls of zoonoses and applying microbiological criteria in foodstuffs
• Food contact materials
• Animal welfare issues
• Evaluation and registration of plant protection products

Calls have also been launched for third country programmes to run in 2007 covering:

• The development of efficient control strategies for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
• Application of food testing procedures for laboratory staff of ASEAN countries
• The EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed and the possible introduction of a similar system in other regions of the world

The Commission will also implement a new series of courses in:

• HACCP
• EU import standards for third-country products
• ABPs

What is the available budget for the initiative?

The budget made available in 2005 for activities to take place in 2006 was €4million. For 2006 concerning activities for 2007, this figure has risen to €7.5million. It is expected that for the implementation of the projected volumes of training under the long term strategy, an annual budget of around €15million will be required.