The European Union (EU) has developed a wide range of measures aimed at ensuring a high standard of hygiene during food production and proper control of foodstuffs. Some of these rules apply to all food business operators, cover the entire food chain and deal with all types of food. Others are directed to competent authorities in charge of controlling the food chain.
The Commission in collaboration with Member States issued several guidance documents in order to elaborate and give practical examples of some of the complex requirements mentioned in Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and No 853/2004, including the one concerning implementation of procedures based on the HACCP principles. Regulation 2017/625 has a general scope covering official controls over the entire food chain. It aims at ensuring a harmonised approach and creates a high level of expertise with regard to official control activities for the verification of compliance with SPS rules
Overall project objective:
- To know the new framework and legislative requirements in the performance of official control of animal origin, especially on food hygiene and controls of meat;
- To interpret the EU Commission’s point of view on how to best implement the new legislation;
- To harmonise enforcement of the legislation and indicate weak points of official controls in the past;
- To intervene and take part in the discussions among participants and tutors in order to promote an exchange of knowledge based on previous experience.
The topics addressed in the courses will include:
- legislative requirements concerning registration and/or (conditional) approval of establishments and in particular low-capacity establishments;
- general and meat specific hygiene requirements and HACCP-based procedures, traceability, welfare issues and special focus on topics/peculiarities regarding steps at and beyond slaughter (minced meat, meat preparations and meat products), etc.;
- official controls concerning primary production, inspections in slaughterhouses, game-handling and other meat establishments, peculiarities with regard to fresh meat, farmed game, wild game, emergency slaughter, risk-based inspection, use of flexibility provisions, etc.;
- official controls concerning microbiological criteria, sampling methods, requirements for Trichinella examination and other specialised inspection procedures, etc.;
- on-the-spot visits followed by debriefing sessions within establishments involved in the production or processing of meat and/or meat products.
From a didactic dimension, it is also expected to achieve the following objectives:
- To train participants from various control bodies in a correct implementation of the legislation both in classroom exercises, and in on-the-spot inspections of selected establishments.
- To provide a diversified learning environment to the participants consisting of lectures, case studies, instruction movies, field exercises and interactive discussion groups.
- To promote the spread of new knowledge and best practices acquired by the participants during the course through dissemination and networking once back in their respective home countries (training of trainers);
- favouring exchange of experience in order to increase the level of expertise with regard to food hygiene and control issues concerning all stages of production, processing and distribution of meat, including derived products.
- MS' competent authorities have a key role to play in the implementation of these rules. They will be responsible for a great array of activities such as food inspection audits (from primary production sites, to slaughterhouses, to retail establishments), eradication of outbreaks and contingency plans, simulation exercises, meat inspection and control activities, controls of imports, registration of professional operators, laboratory sampling and testing, etc. A key element of the training will be to not only make delegates aware of best practice but emphasise how vital it is that a common approach is adopted throughout the Community.
Participants shall represent staff of competent authorities involved in official control activities