2454 final report.pdf - Agra CEAS Consulting

Source: FCEC based on general survey results
Evaluation of the Community Plant Health Regime: Final Report
DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain)
The majority of MS not using this provision have indicated that, due to the small trade flow and
few consignments of the commodities eligible for reduced frequency of inspections,
implementation of such a provision will not be cost-effective as the additional burden would be
too high (e.g. special requirements such as implementation of reduced fees).
However, there are also a few MS that have a more fundamental issue with the system. In their
view, the method of calculating inspection levels, as described above, reflects a compromise
between plant health safety and labour-saving viewpoints. Therefore the current reducedfrequency
provisions may entail a higher risk of HOs being introduced through non-inspected
consignments. A fuller evaluation of the actual risks (including tracing the introduction and
spread of HOs associated with the current system) would need to be performed to assess the
effectiveness in practice of the reduced frequency system compared to the normal frequency
system, for each of the MS that apply the reduced frequency system.
Additionally, consideration should be given to making the reduced-frequency checks more
responsive with more frequent adjustments to levels according to pest findings and inspection
levels. It may also be questionable whether the use of consignment numbers is the only criterion
that should be used for evaluation of reduced-frequency checks in the future, for example
quantity by weight or individual number of units (or fruit or vegetables) may also be suitable.
Finally, interviewees have indicated that the system should become more flexible, especially in
terms of products eligible for reduced frequency checks. It should also be made more robust,
which could improve the credibility with the more reluctant MS: for example, in the case of
interceptions, it is necessary to immediately modify the control levels and not to wait for several
months (to one year) as currently appears to be the case.
On the other hand, MS that have implemented the system consider that it has helped to make
efficient use of the available resources and has led to an optimal trade flow with a significant
cost reduction for traders. For example, in the Netherlands, big flower traders have only 5% of
roses coming from Kenya checked, leading to significant cost reduction and avoidance of trade
delays at the inspection level.
General survey results:
Q3.2 Extent to which the reduced frequency checks is applied in MS for import of end products:
8 out of 26 MS have applied the system.
Are you satisfied with the reduced frequency checks system, as currently applied by MS?
8 out of 26 MS CAs and 8 out of 22 stakeholders are satisfied with the reduced frequency checks system (11
stakeholders do not know).
Q3.1.o Extent to which the reduced frequency checks system has been effective in preventing the introduction
of HOs into the Community:
9 out of 26 MS CAs and 8 out of 23 stakeholders consider that the reduced frequency checks system have been
effective in preventing the introduction of HOs (10 MS CA and 12 stakeholders do not know).
Food Chain Evaluation Consortium 97