Food quality

1. Food quality Vilnius 15. December 2005

2. Brief introduction to the RDP 2007 -2013 Current status of the programming & expected allocation of the funds The food quality schemes in the RDP 2007 - 2013 EU food quality programmes Control system in Denmark Questions and discussions Disposition

3. 3 axes Improving competitiveness E.g. Food quality, Processing and marketing Improving the environment and the countryside E.g. Agri environment Natura 2000 payments Quality of life in rural areas and diversification Micro enterprises, tourism The Leader approach Brief introduction to the RDP 2007 - 2013

4. Draft National Strategy has been submitted to the Commission Negotiation meeting in BXL 6. December Rural Development Plan (RDP) is under preparation Ex ante evaluation in February Submission of the RDP to the Commission in April 2006 Status of the programming process in Lithuania

5. Axis 1: 44,5 pct. Axis 2: 42 pct. Axis 3: 9 pct. Leader approach: 2,5 pct. in average – phasing in approach Technical assistance: 2 pct. Expected allocation of funds

6. In the new regulation, the following measures are available: Article 31: Meeting EU standards Article 32: Participation of farmers in food quality schemes Article 34: Information and promotion activities New schemes in most EU countries Improve quality of agricultural production and products

7. Overall objective is: Support farmers in applying to EU standards in the field of environmental protection, public health, animal and plant health, animal welfare and occupational safety At this stage it seems that this measure will not be available in Lithuanian RDP 2007- 2013 Meeting EU standards

8. The overall objective of the measure is: To encourage farmers or producer groups to participate in Community or national food quality programme. More specific objectives of the measure are: Increase competitiveness Improvement of food quality Consumers protection Access to export markets The food quality measure (1)

9. Eligible applicants will be: Farmers Producer groups Preconditions for implementing the measure: National legislation is adapted/developed to reflect EU legislation and/or a national food quality programme Control system established Maybe develop a national food quality programme The food quality measure (2)

10. Regulation 2081/92/EEC on the protection of geographical indications (PGI) and designations of origin (PDO) for agricultural products and foodstuffs Regulation 2082/92/EEC on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs EU food quality programmes

11. Protected Logo

12. Diversification of agricultural production should be encourage Promotion of specific products could benefit rural economy by improving income Growing demand for quality foodstuffs Having a registration at Community level Supplementing the general labelling rules Rationale behind the regulations

13. The protected designation of origin/PDO/ is for products closely associated with the area whose name they bear, • The quality of the product must be essentially or exclusively due to the particular geographical area, All stages of the production and processing must take place in the defined geographical area whose name the product bears. Protected Designations of Origin /PDO/

14. Designates products attached to the region whose name they bear There must also be a link between the product and the area which gives its name, It is sufficient that one of the stages of production has taken place in the defined area. Protected geographical indications(PGI)

15. Must be specific: ‘……..features which distinguishes ……..from other similar products or foodstuffs belonging to the same category’ Must be produced by using Traditional raw materials, Be characterised by a traditional composition, A mode of production and/or processing reflecting a traditional type of processing/production. Traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG)

16. Spend 5 minutes thinking what kind of projects that could be supported under the food quality measure in Lithuania Spend 10 minutes discussing the relevance and the potential effects of this measure with the person sitting next to you Examples of projects?

17. Support for drafting an application in order to get a product certified/labelled/ISO standard Support for drafting an application in order to be compliance with national standards Support for promoting food products Examples of projects

18. In Denmark we do not have a national wide food quality programme as such, However, control is conducted in order to ensure that Danish products are in compliance with the EU standards, The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA) is the responsible body in Denmark regarding food quality. Denmark (1)

19. The overall principle in Denmark is: Checked from the field to the table In Denmark, the responsibility for safe food production, from field to table, is put into a single system: the DVFA. Meaning that veterinary experts who understand how animal husbandry works, and food safety experts who actually monitor the food until it ends up on the consumer’s dining table, are placed under the same roof. Denmark (2)

20. DVFA’s main purposes are to: Ensure safety and high quality of food Advise on healthy eating habits To protect the consumers against misleading marketing of food DVFA sets the national limit => content of chemicals e.g. pesticide, dioxin, pharmaceuticals and undesirable bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter DVFA sets the standards for informative labelling and description of contents –consumers right to get information DVFA surveys the Danish people´s state of health and nutrition and gives guidance and advice on healthy food & eating habits. Denmark (3)

21. The Danish food control is based on the principle of own-check programmes and control visits in restaurants, shops and food manufacturers Shops and restaurants are responsible for complying with food legislation and the evaluation results are published in shops and restaurants in the form of the so called smiley´s.    Denmark (4)

22. Food control and veterinary inspection are handled by 10 regional veterinary and food control centres The regional authorities are local knowledge centres and gives information and consultancy to consumers, livestock owners, enterprises and practising veterinarians, Often unannounced visits => samples of raw materials, semi-finished goods, packaging or additives. These samples will be sent for analysis Denmark (5)

23. In dialogue with the regions, the DVFA will: produce regulations and accompanying guidelines. undertake overall prioritisation, work out guidelines for inspections, co-ordinate the control process, construct a common register, organise nation-wide campaigns. DVFA is the board of complaint in relation to the regional authority, therefore DVFA does not itself deal with or issue statements relating to specific cases. Denmark (6)

24. The veterinary and foodstuffs field is highly regulated => control ensures that these regulations are respected. Confidence in the control system is though important Regions are subject to a set of principles for official control: Primary producers and companies bear the responsibility The responsibility for compliance with the rules, including EU requirements and requirements from third countries, lies with primary producers and companies. They must set up internal control programmes based on HACCP principles. Therefore only few areas e.g. inspection of animals for slaughter, where authorities themselves approve products or perform internal control for companies or primary producers. Denmark (7)

25. The control must be preventive provision of information to companies and primary producers is important => understand the reasoning of the regulations and are motivated to follow them.   Companies must be authorised Companies that process or sell foodstuffs or non-food animal products must be authorised, approved/ registered Inspection is the cornerstone in the control process. The starting point for inspection is the companies’ handling and sale of foodstuffs. Analytical control is a supplement to such inspection. Analytical control verification of if a company or primary producer can manage the handling of foodstuffs or primary production.   Denmark (8)

26. Need-oriented inspection As well as regular and dynamic. Most intensively applied where the need is greatest. Seek the source of the problem Inspection should seek out the source of the problem.   Reaction The control process will assess whatever sanctions are necessary to ensure that the regulations are observed. Uniform effects Geographically and within branches of the food industry Document its own reliability And effectiveness, and must be made available to the public. Denmark (9)

27. Currently 2 types of labelling in Denmark: Organic Foods : The Ø logo is an inspection label and shows that the latest preparation of the product has taken place in a Danish company  inspected by the public authorities. Can be seen on both foods that originate from Danish organic farms and on imported foods that are processed, packed or labelled in Denmark. The EU logo shows that the organic product is produced and controlled equivalent to the standards in the EU legislation (2092/91) Fish and fishery products Denmark (10)

28. Questions and discussion

29. Thank you for your attention! Heidi Skov Andersen DDH Consulting, Denmark Hsa@ddh.dk