Transcription

1 Food Imports and Export Certification Systems. Presented at the SADSC Food Safety Training workshop November 2013 Pretoria, South Africa by F. Chinyavanhu

2 Presentation outline Background Principles for setting up FIECS CODEX guideline texts of FIECS Issuance of Sanitary Certificates Development of Equivalence Determination of Equivalence. 2

3 Background Part of food control systems Officially recognised systems are important to safeguard consumer health. Can impede trade Should follow laid down principles. May occur at any stage in production and distribution. 3

4 Principles Codex has 10 guidelines for setting up inspection and certification systems. 1. Fitness for purpose. Should achieve acceptable level of protection 2. Risk Assessment Should be appropriate to circumstances and be based on available scientific evidence. 3. Non-discriminatory Should not be used as a disguised trade restriction 4

5 cont 4. Efficiency Regard should be taken to costs and time. Costs considered are those to industry and consumers. 5. Harmonisation Countries to use codex standards, recommendations and guidelines as elements of their inspection systems 6. Equivalence Countries should recognise that different inspection/certification systems may achieve their ALOP. 5

6 cont 7. Transparency Time must be allowed for trading partners to comment on imposed measures. Requirements must be availed for exporters to see and comment. 8. Special and Differential Treatment Importers must consider developing countries. capabilities of 9. Procedures Information requirements and fees charged must be limited to what is reasonable and necessary. 6

7 cont 10. Certification Validity Includes audit of other country s inspection systems and ensuring authenticity of the certificates issued by other countries 7

8 CODEX GUIDELINES Codex has provided the following documents to guide members states in formulating effective inspection/certficationsystems 1. Guidelines for Food Import control Systems CAC/GL Guidelines for the design, operation, assessment and accreditation of import/export inspection and certification systems. (FIECS) CAC/GL Guidelines for the development of Equivalence Agreements regarding FIECS CAC/GL

9 cont 4. Guidelines on the judgement of equivalence of Sanitary measures associated with FIECS 5. Guidelines for design, production, issuance and use of Generic official certificates. 6. Principles for traceability/product tracing as a tool within a FIECS 9

10 Issuance of Sanitary Certificates Six principles to guide this exercise 1. Only issued when neccesary to ensure food safety 2. Means other sanitary certificates may be used as assurance by exporting countries 3. There should be transparency and nondiscrimination by importing country. 4. On request, importing countries to give rationale and information required in a sanitary certificate

11 5. Regardless of mode of transmission must be in simplified form to expedite clearance at borders. 6. Competent authority in the exporting country is ultimately responsible for the certifcate it issues and must prevent fraudulent issues of the certificates. 11

12 Issuance of sanitary certificate There must be clear procedures for the issuance of a sanitary certificate. Model Health Certificate 12

13 Development of Equivalence Agreements Factually, importing and exporting countries may operate different FIECS. Therefore need to facilitate trade while protecting consumers. Equivalence agreements have mutual benefits to both countries. 13

14 Determination of Equivalence Principles 1. Importing country has right to protect its consumers by use if ALOP 2. Measure applied must achieve ALOP 3. Importing country to explain how its own measure achieves the ALOP 4. Importing country must accept that different measure may achieve its ALOP. 5. Measure of exporting country must achieve importing country s ALOP 14

15 cont 6. On request by exporting country, importing country must enter into consultations without delay. 7. It is responsibility of exporting country to demonstrate achievement of importing country s ALOP 8. Comparisons of measures to be done objectively. 9. Risk assessments to be done consistantly. Use of CODEX guidelines encouraged. 10. Exporting country to allow easy access to its 15

16 cont Systems by importing country. 11. Equivalence to be reached in a cooperative way. 12. Importing country to give positive consideration a request by exporting country technical assistance to successfully complete equivalence determination. 16

17 Flow chart for determination of equivalence...\ccfics\guidelines for judging equivalence.pdf 17

18 cont Equivalence reached, then mutual recognition of sanitary certificates is achieved. Food products can easily pass at borders. Certificates must have security features to avoid fraudulent ones. Issuer of certificate is ultimately responsible to avoid fraudulent issuance. 18

19 End Thank you for your attention. 19