2454 final report.pdf - Agra CEAS Consulting

Evaluation of the Community Plant Health Regime: Final Report
DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain)
shipped via regular mail. This is the case for exotic plants that are increasingly in fashion in the
EU and are suspected of potentially carrying new HOs. Consideration should be given to this
issue, with a view to possible measures similar to those foreseen in the animal health sector
under Commission Regulation (EC) No. 206/2009.
3.4.10 Need to enforce capacity building in third countries
During the evaluation, several interviewees (MS CAs and stakeholders) indicated that third
country trading partners experience various difficulties in exporting to the EU, based on
perceptions that the EU legislation is difficult/complex to understand and to comply with.
A large majority of the respondents to the surveys, both MS CAs and stakeholders, consider that
further enhancement of capacity building is needed in Third Countries, with a view to improving
phytosanitary controls at source (country of origin).
General survey results
Q3.9.q and 3.7.q Extent to which capacity building in TCs should be further developed to improve controls
on the presence of HOs on imports from TCs, and possibly to improve trade
18 out of 26 MS CAs and 20 out of 24 stakeholders consider that capacity building in TCs should be further
developed (1 MS CA and 3 stakeholders do not know).
Under the ―Better Training for Safer Food‖ (BTSF), a programme of courses has been on-going
since 2006 for third country officials 123 . The programme also aims to encourage the exchange of
information and development of new professional relationships between participants. Training in
plant health controls was established in 2007 and extended to cover the African continent in
2009. In its first three years, 2006-2008, BTSF trained around 8,000 participants from almost
150 countries. So far, the BTSF coverage of plant health rules has been relatively limited
compared to the other areas covered by the programme (animal health and food/feed safety) and
focused on the EU (in 2008, the first year of BTSF application in the plant health field the
training was provided to EU MS). However, the scope of activities is continually broadening and
participation levels are gradually increasing.
Capacity building in third countries is very useful for several reasons as follows:
To improve MS confidence in guarantees provided by third countries: training provided to
trading partners has a positive impact in terms of improved quality and efficiency of work,
networking capacities and exchanging views to solve problems, leading to building
relationships based on confidence;
123 BTSF is a programme providing training to EU and third country officials responsible for ensuring that EU food
and feed safety, animal health and welfare and plant health rules are applied. In order to help EU trading partners to
better understand the EU regulations and the related procedures, as well as to improve their food safety systems, the
EU launched the BTSF initiative in 2005, with the aim of complementing training programmes operating at a
national level in trading partner countries. In providing this training, the Commission aims to ensure that the control
authorities of trading partners have a full and uniform understanding of EU rules in these areas, so that food and feed
put on the EU market meets the high safety standards expected.
Food Chain Evaluation Consortium 108