Food Safety
Food Safety
Food Safety
Assessment
Rio de Janeiro, 11-12 December 2006
Presented by: Ulrich HOFFMANN, UNCTAD secretariat
Abstract
2
Key Reasons
Demographic
developments in OECD More sophisticated detection
countries and testing methods
5
Drivers of Private-sector Safety and Quality
Requirements
3 Trends:
250
Control Points
Recom. 200
Minor 150
Major 100
50
0
y n t l al
f et e cia o t
S a
o nm So T
d vir
F oo En
10
Main Trends in EHFS Requirements [2]
SPS
Diplomacy
Technically
Demanding Risk
Management Functions
Source:
Jaffee, S. et.al. Institutional Structures and Role Clarity
Issue Details
Food safety MRLs
Heavy metals
Food additives
Hygiene requirements
Traceability
Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP)
Plant health Surveillance
Plant quarantine
Pest risk assessment
Sanitation
Product Grading
quality Freshness
Product composition
Product cleanliness
Labelling requirements
Control of nutritional claims
Environment Control of water and environmental contamination
Recycling requirements
Organic production requirements Source:
Protection of biodiversity
Protection of endangered species Jaffee, S. et.al.
Social Labour standards
Fair trade standards
Corporate social responsibility
Main Problems Arising from Mandatory EHFSRs 15
Gate Standards
Integrated ISO 9000 SQF 3000
Farming of SQF 2000 o Traceability
FARRE o Documentation
UK Assured Produce o Residue Monitoring
Individual TESCO’s Nature’s
Implications for DgC Producers/Exporters
17
General Issues
Fire-fighting, Pro-active,
reactive strategic
approach approach
INVOLVES:
• In DgCs:
– looking beyond costs at opportunities and catalytic role of new EHFS
requirements for national economy (e.g. resource savings, enhanced
occupational safety, environmental benefits, new business and export
opportunities)
– assuring coherent and inclusive policy approach towards supply-chain
requirements (conceptual clarity on approaches and supportive policies)
• Active participation of DgCs’ exporters in standard-setting
consultations and revision process of supply-chain requirements
(including insistence on ex-ante assessment of impact on DgCs).
Specific Elements of Pro-active Adjustment to 24
Supply-chain Requirements
• Enhanced transparency in setting of supply-chain requirements (including
consideration of international trade implications and impact on DgCs. Active outreach to
DgCs on participation in consultative processes).
• Develop coherent national strategies in DgCs to respond to new
requirements (conceptual clarity, stakeholder dialogue/involvement).
• Strengthen synergies between meeting external requirements and assuring
domestic food safety.
• Promoting strategic alliances among key stakeholders in DgCs.
• Building regulatory/institutional capacity (on food control systems, information
management, without being focused on a specific standard).
• Pay special attention to needs, but also best ways of adjustment of small
producers (strategies should be multi-pronged, i.e. enabling them to supply global
retailers, national and international conventional wholesale markets, and national and
international organic markets).
• For further detail: See handout that distils findings of recent country-cases
studies prepared by UNCTAD’s Consultative Task Force.
25
Key Elements of a Proactive Role of DgC Governments
Key Function of Government:
1. Taking into account broad commercial and developmental objectives.
2. Optimizing long-term costs and catalytic benefits of compliance.
3. Focus on wider distributional and societal impacts of the available responses.
Info gathering and
Clusters of Policy Tools dissemination –
cost/benefit analysis
Setting up and
Supporting Quality
Assurance Systems
26
On-line Sources
Website of UNCTAD’s Consultative Task Force
www.unctad.org/trade_env/test1/projects/taskforce.htm
Country-case studies under UNCTAD’s Consultative Task
Force on challenges and opportunities of EurepGAP for
Central and South American countries
www.unctad.org/trade_env/test1/meetings/inmetro2.htm
UNCTAD Trade and Environment Review 2006: Environmental
Requirements and Market Access for Developing Countries:
Developing Pro-active Approaches and Strategies
www.unctad.org/trade_env/test1/publications.htm