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)
Notwithstanding the overall positive feedback, some MS also indicated some areas where
improvements can be made.
On the content of the missions, some MS pointed out that more technical advice rather than
legal analysis and formal aspects of compliance to legislation would be seen as positive. It
was also noted that the work of FVO can only partly reach the objective of improved
compliance from TCs and harmonized implementation in MS, due to the fact that the ability
of the FVO to improve compliance is constrained by the wider trade and political situation
(i.e. the follow-up of the missions is left to the Commission and the Council). Another limit
highlighted is the lack of possibility to impose measures, also related to the fact that sanctions
are not foreseen for countries not implementing FVO recommendations. To be fully effective,
more rapid and concerted action of the MS and the TC on receipt of the FVO report would be
required, and the undertaking of corrective actions. It is indeed stated by the FVO
management that the number of missions per se is one indicator of the success of the FVO
activity, but the follow up after a mission is equally important. This could be corrected, in the
view one MS, by improving the mandate of FVO giving them the legal power to enforce the
rectification of deficiencies and non-compliance. Furthermore, some MS advocate the
introduction of penalties such as sanctions for countries which fail to implement FVO
recommendations within the foreseen delay. Some MS also claim the necessity in certain
cases to introduce stricter measures, such as the threat of import/movement prohibitions in the
case of non compliance and continuous interceptions after a FVO mission in the country.
The following suggestions were made for future improvements to the FVO activity:
Better involvement of FVO in the SCPH meetings;
To follow the FAO Glossary definitions more accurately, and associated ISPMs;
Templates for survey returns to be clarified at the beginning of the reporting period;
More efforts should be dedicated to missions to TCs.
Conclusions
The role and functions of the FVO are considered highly useful and important for monitoring
and contributing to harmonising the implementation of the CPHR in the MS and for the
improvement of compliance with EU import requirements from TCs. It is however noted that
the follow-up of missions is as important as the missions, and therefore measures to ensure
implementations of recommendations should be in place. The main constraint to the work of
the FVO is the limited availability of resources; an increase in FVO resources would enable
some of the suggestions made for future improvement (e.g. missions to TCs, as they are
considered to be highly useful).
3.10.3 EUROPHYT system
EQ14. In how far does the EUROPHYT tool address the needs for rapid exchange of
information on interceptions and provision of statistics? What are its critical success
factors and are any changes needed?
FCEC 185