A report of an audit in Slovakia on the implementation of EU rules on the harmonised monitoring and reporting of AMR in bacteria obtained from certain food and food producing animal populations finds, that Slovakia has improved its AMR monitoring framework. Harmonised monitoring data are crucial to understand current and future AMR trends and to develop strategies to fight AMR. The audit report concludes also that: a) some factors still weaken the harmonised implementation of AMR monitoring, notably in the area of data representativeness and the coordination role of the National Reference Laboratory for AMR, b) Slovakia recent initiatives bring together human and veterinary aspects of AMR, which is supporting the establishment of a “One Health” approach to tackle AMR development. The assessment of the Slovakian competent authorities’ action plan showed that it addressed satisfactorily the report’s recommendations. The audit is part of a project with the aim to assess how Member States implement Decision 2013/652/EU. The project serves to: • provide information to stakeholders about AMR monitoring, • identify common challenges regarding the implementation of legislative requirements, • make recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of monitoring systems, and • disseminate information on good practices. The report can be found at the following read more... link
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A three-day meeting and webinar in October to discuss how to minimise tail biting and reduce tail-docking of pigs, delivered several helpful actions and conclusions, such as: • Competent authorities need to join forces with industry towards the same goal and use projects to help farmers and facilitate funding; • Competent authorities' strategies should include official controls and engage all the key stakeholders, especially farmers; • Multi-factorial problem need a multi-faceted solution; • All Member States should follow the examples of countries where clear strategies and well defined projects are already implemented, like for example in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. In addition, the Commission reminded participants that Member States should: • obtain good risk-assessments for each farm and set and publish compliance criteria for Directive 2008/120 (the "pig directive"), including the development of methodologies to measure prevalence for tail biting/tail-docking and therefore measuring progress with/complying with the Directive: only 7 Member States can indicate prevalence at present; • rapidly raise awareness to ensure stakeholder engagement and to improve the management of pigs and their environment to avoid routine tail-docking of pigs. The meeting was organised by the Commission´s DG Health and Food Safety from 4 to 6 October 2016. Its programme was delivered by experts from industry, Member State competent authorities, research bodies, EU institutions and NGOs. Case studies facilitated the exchange of good practice and discussion groups focussed on better solutions for the future. The work of the EU Farewell Dock (http://farewelldock.eu/) project was also presented at this meeting which was web-streamed, allowing questions from viewers to be answered during the meeting. The webinar can be viewed at the following link (read more...):
A new overview report of the European Commission finds that official controls in aquaculture are in general implemented with a high level of expertise, and support the development of the sector as a whole. However, certain procedures for aquaculture farms registration and authorisation are complex, often long and misinterpreted. The report consists of a series of fact finding missions on the implementation of EU legislation on aquaculture concerning food safety, animal health and welfare. It provides a basis about what is and what is not working in relation to the enforcement of controls and the interpretation of legislation. With this regard it: • presents simplification possibilities for the drafting of new legal acts required under the animal health Regulation (EU) No 2016/429. • highlights some variations in the degree of expertise to detect health problems during official controls. • finds that the early detection of diseases might be hindered by the lack of a common approach to the concept of significant increase of mortality. Beyond that, the report emphasises the limited availability of veterinary medicines which has led in some cases to suboptimal treatment of certain diseases and the potential to increase antimicrobial resistance. In this context actions by the Commission are outlined, which aim to ensure a more effective animal health regime and more efficient access to veterinary medicines. Finally a number of good practices are described to promote their use in the aquaculture sector.
The Commission has published an overview report summarising the outcome of a 2013-2015 audit series regarding the transport of unfit animals in EU Member States. The report concludes that communication and coordination between authorities is most important to prevent or reduce the transport of unfit animals to slaughterhouses. It also presents good practices found in the UK, the Netherlands and Italy. Challenges for effective enforcement include cross-border movements and use of foreign hauliers. While most Member States have processes and sanctions in place to prevent the transport of unfit animals, these often take too long to be effective or are not dissuasive. The Commission has launched a pilot project on "best practices for animal transport" to identify and share good practices to assess the fitness of animals for transport. It also facilitates each year a meeting of national experts, discussing animal welfare during transport.
The European Commission Directorate General for Health and Food Safety is organising a three day meeting at the offices of its Health and Food Audits and Analysis Directorate in Ireland on actions to prevent tailbiting and reduce tail docking of pigs. The programme includes a wide range of relevant topics. It is delivered by experts from industry, Member State Competent Authorities, research bodies, and the EU institutions. Case studies will facilitate the exchange of good practice and workshops will focus on better solutions for the future. The work of the EU FareWellDock (http://farewelldock.eu/) project will also be presented at this meeting. The meeting is aimed at the authorities of Member States, international organisations, scientists, industry, stakeholders and NGOs. The Agenda can be found below. Please note that proceedings from this meeting, apart from breakout groups, will be broadcast live on the Internet. You can follow these webcasts by searching for "tailbiting" at the "Read more…" link below (when searching, set the "to" date to 06-10-2016). Please send any questions you may have on each presentation to the functional mailbox SANTE-IRL-WEBINAR-REARING-PIGS-WITH-INTACT-TAILS@ec.europa.eu and we will try to answer as many as we can during the time for questions at the end of each individual presentation. If we cannot answer your question during the webinar, we will forward your question to the presenter for response after the event.
The Commission has published its first audit report on the implementation of EU rules on the harmonised monitoring and reporting of AMR in bacteria obtained from certain food and food producing animals. Harmonised monitoring data are crucial to understand current and future AMR trends and to develop strategies to fight AMR. This audit is part of a project whose aim is assessing how Member States are implementing Decision 2013/652/EU. The project should serve to: • provide information to stakeholders about AMR monitoring, • identify common challenges regarding the implementation of legislative requirements, • make recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of monitoring systems, and • disseminate information on good practices. The audit report concludes that Denmark has established a comprehensive and reliable AMR monitoring system. It found in addition that the awareness on AMR has increased at the level of authorities and professional organizations in the human and veterinary health areas, thanks to cooperation and high level initiatives. To further strengthen the monitoring of AMR, some recommendations were made. The report can be found at the "Read more..." link below. An overview report containing the main findings and conclusions identified will be published upon completion of the project.
Since 2011, the Commission has undertaken audits in the area of geographical indications (GIs) and traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG) relating to agricultural products and food stuffs. The EU quality schemes for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and TSG protect and promote quality agricultural products and foodstuffs, wines and spirit drinks and aim to ensure the protection of their names from inter alia, misuse, evocation and imitation. They also help consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of the products: An essential feature of the quality schemes is to ensure that consumers can trust the guarantees provided by the labelling, which is only credible if backed by effective verification and controls. As of October 2016, the Commission will be extending the scope of its audits in this area and will undertake the first audit relating to GIs of wine. (The concept of TSG does not apply to wines). This audit will take place in Portugal. Currently over 1750 wine names are registered in the EU representing worldwide sales of over 30 billion EUR. The EU quality logo is granted only to wine products complying with EU rules, and whose specific characteristics are attributable to a specific region. Some traditionally used names for wines might under certain conditions constitute a designation of origin. The E-Bacchus database has further details on the registered wine names:(see Read more...) This database contains of the Register of designations of origin and geographical indications protected in the EU in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and lists • non-EU countries' GIs and names of origin protected in the EU in accordance with bilateral agreements on trade in wine concluded between the EU and the non-EU countries' concerned, • the traditional terms protected in the EU in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.
The Commission has just published an overview report on the state of implementation across Member States of official controls for quality schemes (Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs), Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs), Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSGs) for agricultural products and foodstuffs). These schemes promote and protect names of quality agricultural products and foodstuffs. They encourage diverse agricultural production, protect product names from, inter alia, misuse, evocation and imitation and help consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of the products. The report concludes that official controls, in conjunction with the control activities of the Producer Groups (PGs), provide a reasonable level of assurance concerning the integrity of PDO/PGI/TSG registrations. There is much common ground between official and stakeholder bodies on the main areas where improvements could be made and there is an eagerness to work together to resolve these difficulties for the benefit of all consumers in the EU and beyond. One area where improvement could be made concerns the supervision by the Competent Authorities of control bodies which carry out official controls under delegated authority. The report contains a range of examples of good practices already being implemented in Member States which could be used as a basis for improvement in this and in other areas.
Longhorn beetles introduced from non-European regions are extremely damaging pests as they attack healthy and vigorous deciduous trees and shrubs causing their death and can establish in the majority of EU Member States. Their spread poses a threat to the environment and causes damage predominantly in urban areas. The main pathway for the introduction of these pests is through imports of infested woody planting material and infested wood packaging material (pallets, wood crates etc.). The FVO undertook a series of audits in four Member States affected by outbreaks (Austria, France, Germany and Italy). Drawing from the results of these audits, the FVO has published an overview report which focusses on the situation and controls of four longhorn beetles, namely, Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), Citrus longhorn beetle (Anoplophora chinensis), Red neck longhorn beetle (Aromia bungii) and Round-headed apple tree borer (Saperda candida). The report shows that overall, in the four Member States there is an adequate system in place to keep longhorn beetles under control and that some of the oldest pest outbreak sites have been stabilised, with some outbreaks declared eradicated. The early detection of the infestation and immediate appropriate control measures are crucial for effective campaigns against the pests. The report identifies examples of good practice and includes a summary of the recommendations made to the Member States.
The FVO hosted the 10th meeting of National Contact Points for animal welfare during transport on 1-3 December 2015. The basis for these meetings is Article 24 of Regulation 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. This Article requires mutual assistance and exchange of information between Member States and a contact point to facilitate these exchanges. The meeting followed up on three issues from the previous meeting in December 2014 when the Contact Points had prioritised three points for action: 1. Guidance on official controls of poultry transport. 2. Sharing of Commission interpretations on transport related to all Member States. 3. Making best use of data from satellite navigation systems (SNS). A network document on official controls of poultry transport is in the process of being finalised and should be available in all languages by February 2016. Work is on-going to compile Commission interpretations of legal requirements on transport and it is planned to make these into a single reference document early in 2016. On the third point, although members of the network have identified difficulties in making effective use of SNS data, further inputs are being sought and the group hopes to report on the best way forward on this in early 2016. In response to the European Court of Justice judgement (C-424/13) on animal transport concerning the applicability of Regulation 1/2005 outside the European Union, the meeting identified the need to work on intensified checks of journey logs at places of departure, identifying best practice for contingency plans and supervision of loading of animals at departure as well as for checks at exit points. This will be the focus of the next working group of the network in 2016. The meeting also allowed the network to identify aspects which they considered should be prioritised by a consortium working on a study on best practice for animal welfare during transport. Several members of the network presented their best practices for controls of the trade in puppies. These arrangements and procedures will be shared among all members of the network via the Commission’s CIRCABC platform. The next meeting is scheduled for September 2016.