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2008/SOM1/SCSC/007
Agenda Item: 4(5)
Draft Implementation Plan for Strengthening Food Safety Standards Practices in APEC Economies for 2008-2011
Purpose: Information
Submitted by: Australia
/ First Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance MeetingLima, Peru25-26 February 2008
Breif Overview of the Draft implementation for strengthening food safety standards practice in apec economies
PURPOSE
To present you with a draft implementation plan for strengthening food safety standards practices in APEC economies for 2008-2011. This draft implementation plan is a result of the Fifteenth APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, “Strengthening Our Community, Building a Sustainable Future” held in Australia, September 2007, where Leaders recognised ‘food safety’ as an area requiring further work in order to enhance human security.
KEY POINTS
The vision of the implementation plan is to:
· Provide safe food for consumers and the facilitation of trade across the region;
· Harmonize food safety standards, to the extent possible, with international standards (such as Codex, OIE, IPPC); and
· Encourage food safety systems within economies.
In addressing the goal of the Implementation Plan for 2008-2011, strategies will be focused on building capacity in four key areas of the food control system:
1. Food Regulatory Frameworks
2. Food Inspection and Certification Systems
3. Technical Skills and Human Resources
4. Information Sharing and Communication Networks
Work undertaken so far includes two APEC workshops: “Managing Microbiological Food Safety Risks Training Workshop”; and “Strengthening capability to assess the capacity building needs of food control systems and develop capacity building action plans in developing APEC Member Economies”.
Work planned for implementation during 2008/09 includes capacity building activities in the areas of: food law/development of food standards; chemical risk analysis; and conducting total diet surveys. In addition, a food safety workshop will be held in the margins of SCSC 2 in 2008.
BACKGROUND
The APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum was established on 4 April 2007 recognising that food safety and internationally harmonized food standards are key factors for improving public health and safety and facilitating trade in food for APEC economies. The purpose of the Forum is to:
· improve and strengthen information sharing and capacity building activities in food safety by enhancing cooperation between member economies and in regional activities;
· identify, prioritise and coordinate capacity-building activities in APEC, including the needs of developing economies, taking into account other capacity building activities in the region.
In response to the 2007 APEC Economic Leaders Statement, the Food Safety Cooperation Forum will act as the coordinating body to progress Strengthening Food Safety Standards and Practices – An Implementation Plan for 2008 – 2011. Current members of the Food Safety Cooperation Forum include Australia; Canada; Chile; China; Chinese Taipei; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Republic of the Philippines; Thailand; United States of America; and Viet Nam.
Strengthening Food Safety Standards and Practices
An Implementation Plan for 2008-2011
in Response to the 2007 APEC Economic Leader’s Statement
At the Fifteenth APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, “Strengthening Our Community, Building a Sustainable Future”, held in Sydney, Australia, 9 September 2007, Leaders recognised ‘food safety’ as an area requiring further work in order to enhance human security.
We agreed on the need to develop a more robust approach to strengthening food and consumer product safety standards and practices in the region, using scientific risk based approaches and without creating unnecessary impediments to trade. Additional capacity building in this area is a priority. We directed Ministers to undertake further work in this important area and report on progress.
To progress the sentiment of the APEC Economic Leaders, the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum has been requested to:
v Strengthen food safety cooperation among member economies; and
v Develop a more robust approach to strengthening food safety standards and practices in the region.
The APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum
The APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum (The Food Safety Forum) was established on 4 April 2007 recognising that food safety and internationally harmonized food standards are key factors for improving public health and safety and facilitating trade in food for APEC economies. In accelerating progress towards these outcomes, the purpose of the Forum is to:
· improve and strengthen information sharing and capacity building activities in food safety by enhancing cooperation between member economies and in regional activities;
· identify, prioritise and coordinate capacity-building activities in APEC, including the needs of developing economies, taking into account other capacity building activities in the region.
In response to 2007 APEC Economic Leaders Statement the Food Safety Forum is proposing to add additional capacity building activities to set out an enhanced implementation plan for 2008-2011. The details for the additional activities will be clarified at future Forum workshops.
Coordination of the Implementation Plan for 2008-2011
In response to 2007 APEC Economic Leaders Statement the Food Safety Forum is proposing to add additional capacity building activities to set out an enhanced implementation plan for 2008-2011. The details for the additional activities will be clarified at future Forum workshops. The Food Safety Forum will act as the coordinating body to progress Strengthening Food Safety Standards and Practices – An Implementation Plan for 2008 – 2011. Current members of the Food Safety Forum include Australia; Canada; Chile; China; Chinese Taipei; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Republic of the Philippines; Thailand; United States of America; and Viet Nam.
Vision and Goal
With a vision of safe food for consumers and the facilitation of trade across the region, the goal of the Implementation Plan for 2008-2011 is to:
· Harmonize food safety standards, to the extent possible, with international standards (such as Codex, OIE, IPPC); and
· Encourage food safety systems within economies, including food regulatory frameworks and food inspection/assurance and certification systems that are consistent with members’ rights and obligations under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreements of the World Trade Organisation.
Strategies
In addressing the goal of the Implementation Plan for 2008-2011, strategies will be focused on building capacity in four key areas of the food control system:
5. Food Regulatory Frameworks
a. Establish government endorsed food regulatory systems
b. Develop, implement and enforce food safety standards
6. Food Inspection and Certification Systems
a. Develop legislative frameworks for food control management
b. Establish communication systems to support food inspection including information, education and training (electronic information exchange systems regarding recall, communication with trade partners and consumer information)
c. Develop laboratory and technical capacity including training of personnel
7. Technical Skills and Human Resources
a. Develop technical skills in areas across the food control system
b. Develop skills in food safety risk analysis
8. Information Sharing and Communication Networks
a. Utilise and establish relevant forums for information exchange
b. Encourage collaboration on food safety capacity building between economies across the region and internationally
c. Establish surveillance systems and mechanisms for transparent information-sharing that provide accurate and timely information
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between the Food Safety Forum in coordinating activities that focus on the Vision, Goal and Strategies outlined above.
Figure 1
Progress To Date
A number of activities are currently being undertaken that focus on building capacity in the areas outlined above. Activities have been generated as a result of the Food Safety Forum with resources being directed to those areas that have been identified by Member Economies as having highest priority and accordingly are part of the Food Safety Forum Strategic Approach for 2007 - 2009. The Strategic Approach for 2007 – 2009, an agreed outcome of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum, April 2007 is at Attachment 1 and will be an integral part of the Implementation Plan for 2008 – 2011.
Activities that are being undertaken as part of the Strategic Approach for 2007 – 2009 and focus on the strategies outlined above aim to provide individuals and organisations with skills, methods and technical knowledge that reflect best practise both within the region and internationally. Through this, it is intended that progress can be made towards reaching the goal and vision outlined above.
Activities that have been coordinated by the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum during 2007 include:
Managing Microbiological Food Safety Risks Training Workshop (2007 - 2008)
Managing Microbiological Food Safety Risks is an AusAid-funded capacity building project being implemented by FSANZ, Australia. This activity involves five APEC Economies including Indonesia, Viet Nam, China, Papua New Guinea and the Republic of the Philippines.
The objective of the activity is to develop the knowledge, expertise and skills of participants in assessing and managing microbiological food safety risks using the process of risk analysis.
The first phase of the training program involved an intensive training workshop and was successfully completed with extremely positive feedback from all participants. The second phase of the project, involved participants undertaking practical field work on selected food commodities and microbiological hazards (undertaken as a series of in-country case studies). The third and final stage is a follow-up workshop in March 2008, where participants will present the findings of their work.
Strengthening capability to assess the capacity building needs of food control systems and develop capacity building action plans in developing APEC Member Economies (2007)
Strengthening capability to assess the capacity building needs of food control systems and develop capacity building action plans in developing APEC Member Economies is a capacity building activity proposed by AQSIQ, China, funded by the Standards & Trade Development Facility and implemented by FSANZ, Australia and the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Nine APEC Economies participated in this activity including Chile; China; Indonesia; Malaysia; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Republic of the Philippines; Thailand; and Viet Nam.
The overall goal of the project is to improve the capacity of developing APEC Member Economies to develop and implement activities that enhance the safety and quality of food as a means to improve public health and facilitate trade.
The primary activity involved provision of a train the trainer workshop on capacity building needs assessment and the development of related capacity building action plans held in Beijing from19-23 November 07 and the development of national action plans by participating APEC Economies.
The project will complement the work of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum. The knowledge and skills developed by participants to plan and carry out a capacity needs assessment of the national food control system will directly feed into the ongoing work program of the Forum.
Future Steps
The Strengthening Food Safety Standards and Practices Implementation Plan sets out capacity building activities in four key areas of the food control system for 2008-2011. It is intended that the details of capacity building activities beyond 2009 will be further discussed at the Food Safety Forum to be held in late 2008, in the margins of the SOM II meeting. Over the course of 2008-2009, action will be taken to progress Strengthening Food Safety Standards and Practices – A Strategic Approach for 2008 – 2011.
Capacity building activities planned for implementation during 2008 - 2009 include:
· Food Safety Forum Seminar (Peru, 2008);
· Developing Food Laws, Standards and Enforcement Systems (Vietnam, 2008);
· Chemical Risk Analysis (Malaysia, 2008);
· Follow on workshop on Strengthening capability to assess the capacity building needs of food control systems and develop capacity building action plans in developing APEC Member (China, 2008);
· Conducting Total Diet Studies (2009); and
· Production and Use of Food Composition Data (Australia, 2009).
Seeking sponsors and co-sponsors of capacity building activities will be a key component in the successful implementation of the activities listed in the Strategic Approach 2007-2009. Recently the United States State Department and the United States Food and Drug Administration have expressed an interest in becoming more involved in the capacity building activities of APEC including co-sponsoring the Food Safety Forum Seminar in Peru (2008) and potentially co-sponsoring other workshops in relation to chemical risk assessments and risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. The Forum will continue to liaise with relevant international organisations and regional groupings to promote the coordination of and avoid duplication of activities.
In response to the direction given by APEC Economic Leaders in 2007, progress made towards the goal and strategies outlined above, will be reported to SCSC 2 in 2008. It is intended that the outcomes will then be reported through the Committee for Trade and Investment to the APEC Ministerial Meeting.
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APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum STRATEGIC APPROACH 2007-2009
Capacity Building Priority Areas(as at 4 April 2007) / Description of activity and lead economies / Stage of development
(1. Funded,
2. In-development
3. Preliminary.) / Proposed Venue, Date and Contact. /
1. Food safety regulatory systems
(a) Legal and technical drafting to support the development of food laws and regulations harmonized with international standards / 1. Development of guidelines for assessment & monitoring of foods derived from GMO. Viet Nam
2. Development of food law based on the existing Act of Food Hygiene & Safety. Viet Nam
Developing Food Laws, Standards and Enforcement Systems. Australia / Preliminary
Preliminary
Preliminary / Nguyen Hung Long
Vietnam Food Administration
Sonia Bradley, FSANZ, Australia.
(b) Interpretation and enforcement of food regulation / Preparation & enforcement of circulars based on Food Law. Viet Nam / Preliminary / Nguyen Hung Long
Vietnam Food Administration
Training for food inspectors, food industry & consumers for the interpretation & enforcement of the food regulations. Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
Seminar on national food safety control systems. China/Australia / In-development / Ms Ding Zhiyin, AQSIQ .
Ms Zhang Rong, AQSIQ.
Ms Sonia Bradley, FSANZ.
(c) Food safety control systems (incl primary production) / New Zealand / Funded / Neil McLeod, NZFSA,
2. Food inspection and certification systems
(a) Legislative framework for conformity assessment bodies
(b) Communication (electronic information exchange systems regarding recall, communication with trade partners and consumer information) / Mexico / Preliminary / Patricia Pineda
COFEPRIS
(c) Personnel & training of inspectors & system auditors. / Human resource development of food inspectors to be competent to carry out food auditing. Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
(d) HACCP audit. / Human resource development of food inspectors to be competent to carry out HACCP auditing. Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
(e) Evaluation and data collection.
(f) General training of inspectors using international standards (e.g. Codex). / Human resource development of food inspectors to be competent to develop food standards. Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
3. Technical skills and human resource capacity (internationally accredited standards and procedures)
(a) Food safety capacity evaluation. / Strengthening capability to assess the capacity building needs of national food control systems and develop capacity building action plans in developing APEC Member Economies.
China/Australia/ FAO/STDF / Funded / 07-08, Beijing, China
1. Sonia Bradley, FSANZ, Australia.
2. Lin Wei, AQSIQ, China.
(b) Laboratory capacity (capacity to carry out appropriate testing sampling and analysis) / Strengthen food laboratory capacity to conduct chemical and biological testing (including funding of equipment). Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
(c) Food handling and preventative approaches to food-borne risks (General principles of food hygiene).
(d) Microbiological risk analysis. / Managing microbiological food safety risks - Australia (FSANZ & AusAID) / Funded / Manilla, Philippines – August 2007.
(e) Risk analysis in chemical safety. / Australia – seeking partners / Preliminary / Sonia Bradley, FSANZ, Australia.
(f) Increasing analytical capacity and training. / Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
(g) Master classes/Staff interchanges. / Masterclass in Agricultural Trade Policy and Biosecurity. Australia / Funded / Australia, June, 2007.
Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
4. Information-sharing and communication networks
(a) Food Safety Cooperation Focal Points (exchange information on capacity-building opportunities, joint projects, technical issues – new methods etc) / Australia / China / No specific funding. Australia and China will coordinate. / AIMP website of APEC Secretariat – May 2007.
(b) Cooperation at multilateral forums on food safety capacity building issues, when appropriate.
(c) Disease surveillance. / Strengthen disease surveillance system and establish a national database for foodborne diseases. Papua New Guinea / Preliminary / 2007-08. Ms Rose Kavanamur,
(d) Risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. / Australia – seeking partners / Preliminary / Sonia Bradley, FSANZ, Australia.
Capacity building training on food safety risk communication for APEC developing economies / In-development / August 2007. Mr Gilberto Layese, Bureau of Agriculture & Fisheries Product Standards, Philippines.
(a) Information session on Food Safety Management systems, for e.g. ISO 22 000 (Food safety management systems – Requirements for any organizations in the food chain.)
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