TOKYO, March 2006 Foods in the Affluent Society : a Dialogue between the Japanese and the French Food safety approach in France and the European Union: principles and evolution Dr. Véronique BELLEMAIN Director of the French National School of Veterinary Services OIE Collaborating Centre for the Training of Official Veterinarians 1
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 2
The European Community = 25 States = 450 M consummers ) ) = 116 M cattle 92 M sheep 11 M goat 4 M horses 156 pigs 1 610 M poultry 3
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 4
I.1 Evolution in hazards Evolution of: hazards (declining, emerging, increasing ) scientific knowledge analytical tests practices Examples: Zoonotic hazards in animals that are themselves in good health: Salmonella, Escherichia Coli, Trichinellosis, BSE Avian flu Vet. Drugs growth promoters environmental pollution marine biotoxins Etc. 5
I.2 - Evolution of structures from production to consumption Stages of: production processing distribution - consumption Animal production chain: longer and more complex (separate but interdependent levels of processing) Marketing: mass marketing / centralised buying offices Consumers lifestyle (eating food prepared outside the home) Massification of production, processing and distribution Massification of consumption Globalisation 6
II.3 - Evolution of consumers and decision makers perception Consumers more and more urban Black box of the agri-food production Role of the media Influences consumers perceptions and expectations Influences policy markers and risk managers (private sector and public administration) Principle of precaution 7
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 8
Self-sufficiency Animal health farm Post-slaughter slaughter production End-product 2 nd processing transport Samples Lab. analysis storage distribution Cost - No recal, no prevention catering 9
QUALITY can no longer be considered as simply an absence of defect From absence of information (no defect detected) to a positive value Conditions of production controlled, so as to prevent any risk of defect confidence 10
HACCP Producers the underlying trend Continuum in risk management HACCP system throughout a production chain Risk Analysis For public sector managers To determine priorities for action 11
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 12
A new sharing of responsabilities 1993 2000s responsibility for the sanitary quality of products lies totally with the official services the operator is responsible, the off. services exercice a first level of control the operator is responsible (preventive measures, HACCP), off. services exercise a second level of control... the administration assumes overall and ultimate responsibility with regard to the consumer for international trade (certification) 13
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 14
EU Regulation FOOD LAW (2002) Precaution Transparency Integrated approach, from primary production to consumers EU food legislation based on risk analysis 15
EU Regulation Obligation to the operators: Primary responsibility lies with industrial operators (obligation of results) Traceability HACCP-type systems Withdrawal of potentially defective products = From resource based requirements to a system based on results. 16
EU Regulation Control Services Control plans Method for inspection Sanctions Tasks of the official veterinarians Training of the staff Annual report to the EU Commission Control by the Food and Veterinarian Office 17
Separation between EU organisation Risk assessment and Risk management European Agency for Food Safety Commission Production management and Animal health and food safety controls 18
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 19
France : a country of production and consumption 300 000 250 000 450 000 farms 60 M consumers (national market) 200 000 150 000 100 000 50 000 0 Eq. UGB 25 000 000 20 000 000 Cattle Horses Pigs Small ruminants 28 M Poultry eq. large animals * Other establishments Animal product processing : 30 000 Fish and fish products : 6 500 Catering : 200 000 Delivery to final consumers : 100 000 1st exporting country in the EU 15 000 000 10 000 000 5 000 000 0 Cattle Horses Pigs Small ruminants Poultry * 1 eq. Large animals = 1 cattle = 1 horse = 5 pigs = 10 small ruminants = 100 poultry 20
Animal health and Food Safety policy in France A clarified organisation A leading Ministry Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery One competent Direction General Directorate for Food (DGAL) 21
a single chain of command PARIS Government and central administrations Departments (100) Departmental Directions of Veterinary Services 22
Central level elaborates national policy Ministry of Agriculture and Food General directorate for food Large competencies Staff : 200 Prime Minister Services Coordinate and arbitrate the national position at EC and international level Ministry of Trade and Consumers Fair trade Labelling Food product composition Staff : 10 Ministry of Public Health Water safety Public health surveillance Staff : 5 23
Local level : enforcement, surveillance and control Ministry of Agriculture and Food Permanent staff : 4000 civil servants (600 veterinarians and 2 500 technicians + clerks) Part-time staff : veterinarians for AM and PM inspection at slaughterhouses (500 eq. full-time veterinarians) 4 600 private veterinarians under «sanitary contract» : contribute to animal health purposes (500 eq. full-time employments) Ministry of Trade and Consumers 300 eq. full-time inspectors for control of sanitary conditions when delivery to final consumer Ministry of Public Health - food borne inquiries - water safety surveillance 24
Competencies and missions Inspection surveillance control Animal health Veterinary drugs approval of establishments Food safety Risk assessment and scientific support Animal welfare Pesticides Animal feeding Certification of imports and exports 25
Veterinary Services: From farm to table Animal feeding industry Exchanges Border Inspection Posts imports from third countries Farms Rendering plants Catering European Union market Transport Police Slaughterhouses Distribution Exports to third countries Cutting plants Food processing operators 26
Plan Introduction I. Evolution of the concerns and context in the European Union II. III. IV. Evolution of risk management in Europe: to the integrated approach The tools and the players Principles of the new European Union regulation V. Main characteristics of Food safety control in France Conclusion 27
Conclusion EU= single market Integrated approach of food safety Responsibility of the operators, that do have to implement preventive measures An independent risk analysis Transparency (consumers, trade partners countries) France Veterinary Services: from the farm to the table A unique chain of command 28