Responsibilities of OIE National Focal Points for Animal Production Food Safety Seminar for the OIE National Focal Points for Animal Production Food Safety Belgrade, Serbia, 15 17 October 2013 Gillian Mylrea International Trade Department, Paris
What is Animal Production Food Safety? risks to human health and food safety may arise at the farm or at any subsequent stage in the food production continuum. the relationship between the OIE and the Codex Alimentarius (CAC) is particularly important. the OIE is responsible for setting standards in the domain of animal health (including zoonotic diseases) including animal production food safety, i.e. the management of risks arising at the level of the farm to primary processing, and the CAC is responsible for setting standards in the domain of food safety. therefore, for food safety and international trade, the standard setting activities of the OIE and the CAC are thus interdependent and complementary.
OIE / Codex Coordination Farm level Measures relating to animal health + food safety ENSV OIE CAC i.e. for any events that can have an impact on the subsequent safety of food products Production conditions & quality of products during and more especially after the primary processing stage ENSV 3 3
NATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE ANALYSIS OF OIE STANDARDS DELEGATE CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER FOCAL POINT in the VS FOCAL POINT in other Ministries
Role of the OIE Delegate The OIE National Delegate (normally the Chief Veterinary Officer): is the contact point for the OIE in his/her country represents his/her country in the World Assembly of Delegates (the sole Body with the authority to adopt OIE standards). The Delegate is responsible inter alia for: providing input into the OIE standard development process harmonising national regulations with OIE standards and/or basing national regulations on a risk analysis, consistent with OIE standards (and SPS principles) and informing the OIE of the national animal disease situation. The Delegate should designate National Focal Points to facilitate engagement with the OIE in certain key areas
National Focal Points of the OIE Aquatic animals Animal disease information Animal Production Food Safety Animal welfare Communications Laboratories Veterinary products Wildlife
Focal Points - Roles / Responsibilities Each Member Country s Delegate must nominate a focal point for each of the topics proposed by the OIE; Focal points are nominated by the Delegate even if they work in other Ministries (but communication with the OIE is always under the authority of the Delegate); Focal points support the Delegate; They should be part of regional or global networks to share information.
Terms of Reference National Focal Point for Animal Production Food Safety Establish a network of Animal Production Food Safety experts within his/her country or communicate with existing network; Establish and maintain a dialogue, cooperation and communication with the Competent Authority for animal production food safety and relevant authorities; Receive reports of the Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission and of the OIE Working Group on Animal Production Food Safety and other relevant reports and conduct the in-country consultation process; Prepare comments for the Delegate on relevant meeting reports, including comments on the proposals for new or revised OIE standards related to animal production food safety, taking into account Codex Alimentarius standards, when relevant.
Availability of relevant OIE Reports Terrestrial Code Commission (TCC) Reports: TCC meet February and September each year Each report is provided to the Delegate, then uploaded on the public OIE site once public, OIE informs FPs of the reports availability Each report specifies what Members should comment on, e.g. Terrestrial Code chapters relevant to APFS. each report specifies the closing date for Member Country comments. APFSWG Report: APFSWG meet in November of each year report is included in the February meeting report of the TCC report is available on the OIE website on the section on APFS.
Important points: Make arrangements with your Delegate to ensure you have early access to reports: this will allow maximum time for your consultation process and ensure comments reach OIE prior to the deadline.
Opportunities for OIE Members to influence international standard setting => Members are primarily responsible for setting and the adoption of international standards and should therefore always attempt to actively participate in the standard setting process
Thank you for your attention Organisation mondiale de la santé animale World Organisation for Animal Health Organización Mundial de Sanidad Animal 12 rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France www.oie.int oie@oie.int