During the last audit on aquaculture in the UK the audit team took the opportunity to evaluate the use of "cleaner wrasse" (a species of fish which groom and clean larger fish) as an antidote to the perennial problem of sea lice. The success or failure of this approach is very much based on the ability to master the husbandry of the fish, as it has very different needs to salmon (different feed, need for 'hide outs' in pens, and treatment alongside salmon). The key issue holding back the development of this approach is the availability of the fish which is currently finite owing to the fact that they are normally caught from the wild. The development of aquaculture methods for wrasse is still at an early stage and is described as difficult. However, there is confidence that a closed loop for salmon production can be achieved in the near future, which should greatly enhance the expansion of this approach. Several sites in Scotland and Ireland are using wrasse cleaner fish, which helps to avoid treatment with veterinary medicinal products (VMP´s). As official services both Marine Scotland and the Marine Institute Ireland are encouraging the expansion of its use via research and funding. The site which was visited had not used any VMP treatments in the last 2 years, as opposed to the several annual treatments which are normally administered.
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One series evaluates controls of pesticide residues in Organic Production. Pesticide residue testing is only one part of controls in this sector. Since 2014, there is a legal requirement to sample 5% of organic operators. The FVO teams audit the co-ordination by competent authorities, pesticide residue controls carried out by private control bodies and official control authorities, and evaluates performance of laboratories which carry out the analyses. The first audit was performed end of January in the United Kingdom. Four further audits are planned in Poland, Germany, Finland and Spain. The second series evaluates controls of the marketing and use of plant protection products. A total of 13 Member States will be audited in 2015 and 2016. The first audit finished in Italy in the first week of February. The audit teams evaluate official controls at growers of cereals, seed treatment facilities, manufacturers, re-packers, importers and wholesalers of pesticides. The audit teams will also gather information on any derogations granted for spraying of pesticides by helicopters and airplanes, and on the implementation of Integrated Pest Management. All growers in the EU must follow Integrated Pest Management since January 2014. Audit reports and overview reports for the two series will be published on this site.
The FVO contributed to a Better Training for Safer Food world training on fishery products in Indonesia organised by the European Commission. The major goal of this event was to outline the key hygiene and infrastructure conditions for fishery products for export to the EU market, the relevant legislation and what is expected from our third country export partners with regard to official controls and certification. The profile of the event got a major boost with the attendance of the new Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Susi Pudjiastuti, who delivered a key note speech on the Indonesian approach to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The event was attended by delegates representing countries from Asia and the Pacific. This was therefore an ideal opportunity to present the role of the FVO and describe common compliance problems experienced by less developed countries in the export of fishery products to the EU. Key issues were highlighted and include maintenance of the cold chain and ensuring traceability. The FVO representative also took the opportunity to meet with senior TC officials, answering technical/legal questions and discussing planned and past audits to the region. This is a good example of how the experience and knowledge of the FVO can deliver a lot of added value through non-audit activities and promote European sanitary standards and facilitate trade.
In order to improve slaughter hygiene, the FVO is proposing a new strategy complementary to the performance of audits. The intention is to facilitate exchange of best practices between Member State and EFTA countries by organising study visits for groups of experts to discuss the strategies and procedures which produce the best results. The main objectives of the project are to assist and facilitate in the development of effective control and monitoring systems by Competent Authorities of slaughter hygiene, in its broadest sense, seeking an improvement in Food Business Operators Compliance level. The project aims for a greater level of consumer protection and trade facilitation with our key trading partners. During 2014, a workshop was organised where representatives of the various countries involved were able to contribute ideas and to refine the plan put forward by the FVO. The project "Sharing of best practice in Slaughter Hygiene" reached a new milestone with the first Study Visits that took place in Ireland and the United Kingdom with the attendance of National Experts from seven countries. Six further study visits are scheduled for 2015. A very positive response was received from the invited National Experts and Hosting countries alike as the environment in which the study visits take place encourages openness, transparency and frank discussions among all involved. It is also providing the opportunity to see in operation different official control processes and procedures thus assessing the value and feasibility of implementing them throughout the EU. An example is the systems in place in Ireland to ensure that animals presented for slaughter are clean. The systems have introduced new innovations which greatly reduce the risk to meat hygiene from animals arriving at the slaughterhouse in dirty conditions. All Member States can learn from these innovations.
Following the large scale food poisoning in France and Germany in 2011, linked to seeds that were sprouted, the Commission put in place legal requirements on the production, sale and use of seeds for sprouting to ensure they are safe. Products from outside of Europe should be imported with a certificate attesting their hygienic production. As China is the largest exporter of mung bean seeds for sprouting to the EU, the Food and Veterinary Office conducted an audit of Chinese controls in this area in 2013, with a follow up in September 2014. The first audit identified significant deficiencies in the control system and the Chinese authorities ceased to export, causing shortages of seeds for sprouting in Europe. Following a number of meetings with the Chinese authorities and industry, including a seminar in July in China, the most recent audit found a significant improvement in the system. The recommendations addressed to the authorities had been addressed and an export system meeting the EU requirements was in place. The Chinese authorities commenced issuing export certificates again in December 2014.
For a range of plants and plant products, Member States must carry out import inspections before the consignments are allowed into the EU. This is to verify that such consignments are free from pests and diseases that can be harmful to crops or plants in the environment of the EU. When problems are found, Member States must immediately notify the rest of the EU and the exporting country. This is done through the rapid alert system EUROPHYT operated by the Food and Veterinary Office. The report of the notifications made in 2013 has been published. It reveals that 7 000 consignments mainly imported from non-EU countries were intercepted in 2013. In about one third of the cases insects, fungi, bacteria or viruses were found; the number of interceptions with such harmful organisms increased by 18%, compared to 2012. Fruit and vegetables fall amongst the highest category of consignments that were prevented from entering the EU marketplace. These included mainly mangoes, gourds, basil, aubergines, guavas and peppers, coming from India, Pakistan, Ghana, Dominican Republic, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Bangladesh. As a result of specific EU safeguard measures, the number of interceptions from Thailand, Vietnam and Israel decreased significantly in 2013. There were over 2 000 interceptions of wood packaging material, originating mainly from Russia, China, USA, Belarus and India. For more information on EUROPHYT including access to the annual and monthly reports:
A very serious bacteria, Xyllella fastidiosa was discovered in an area in southern Italy in 2013. It occurs on several plant species, however, for the particular strain found in Italy, the most severe effect has been on olive trees, of which thousands have wilted and died because of the infection. The bacteria is not known to occur anywhere else in the EU. Host plants imported into the EU must be free from the organism and if it is found Member States must eradicate it. Because of the scale of the outbreak in Italy, there have been concerns of possible spread to other parts of Italy and the EU and EU emergency measures were issued to prevent such spread and to support Italy in applying the necessary control measures. The Food and Veterinary Office carried out an audit of the Italian control measures and gave recommendations for improving the controls. This report has just been published. The Commission continues to monitor the situation and follow-up audits are planned. The report of the first audit to Italy on this topic is available:
Significant failures in the traceability of meat have come to light in recent years. While most such failures are the result of deliberate acts on the part of meat traders and/or processors, the lack of a fully effective official control system focusing on traceability in Member States has probably been an important contributory factor. In addition, previous FVO audits have identified non-compliances in several Member States in relation to enforcement of FBOs compliance with their responsibilities regarding traceability and deficiencies in official controls of traceability and enforcement of labelling requirements. Therefore, the FVO has started a specific project “Post Slaughter Traceability†with audits in Member States, in order to evaluate official controls over traceability of meat as a commodity, in particular the ability of authorities to conduct qualitative and quantitative audits of Food business operators' systems and the enforcement of obligations to evaluate the implementation of, and control over the labelling and identification systems of meat and products thereof. A summary of these findings will also be discussed with all Member States to improve the capability of CA systems to oversee traceability and, thereby, to improve the quality of controls and to deter / detect irregularities.
EUROPHYT is the EU notification and rapid alert system for plant health interceptions. It is used by EU Member States and Switzerland and managed by the European Commission. EUROPHYT is the EU notification and rapid alert system for plant health interceptions. It is used by EU Member States and Switzerland and managed by the European Commission. The recent publication of its 2012 Annual Report provides key statistics on interceptions of consignments of plants and plant products imported into the EU or being traded within the EU itself. In addition, the report analyses the interception trends, based on annual figures for the period 2008 to 2012. There were over 7,000 notifications of consignments intercepted by Member States and Switzerland, during 2012. The reasons for the interception of these consignments can be broken down into three main areas; the presence of harmful organisms, wood packaging material not complying with international phytosanitary requirements (ISPM 15), or documentary problems, which included the lack of or inappropriate phytosanitary certificates.