(RASFF) Annual Report 2009 - European Commission - Europa

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)
Commissioner Vassiliou opened the conference
remembering how RASFF has evolved over 30 years
as a communication tool on food safety. In the 21st
century, this communication needs to be extended
to global level and RASFF is ready to play an important
part in this.
Commissioner Rhoda Tumusiime of the African
Union gave her views on the challenges Africa faces
in relation to food safety. Where the safety of food
is not being taken seriously, it is often a matter of
life or death. A rapid alert system could be of great
benefit in Africa but there is a more urgent need for
infrastructure, standards, training and enforcement
to establish the required traceability of food and
feed and consumer awareness.
The following keynote speeches were delivered:
Deputy Director General Paola Testori Coggi
explained how RASFF had helped achieve in Europe
one of the highest levels of food safety in the world
and gave her views on the further developments of
the system in the years to come.
Mrs Inger Andersson, Director General of the
Swedish National Food Administration gave a
view on what RASFF meant from the national
perspective and she pleaded for more openness in
the system while ensuring that confidential information
is protected and for RASFF data to be more and
better used when deciding on future controls.
Dr Somsak Pipoppinyo, Assistant Director and
Head of the Natural Resources Unit of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
explained how ARASFF – the ASEAN RASFF system –
fitted very well in the evolution of ASEAN from an
Association into a Community.
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