Italian competencies for animal health and welfare, food and feed safety APE – Itis Pininfarina

In Italy most of the competencies for animal health, food and feed safety and animal welfare are assigned at national level to the Department for Veterinary Public Health Nutrition and Food Safety (DVPHNFS), which is one of 4 Departments in the Health sector of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policy MLHSP (Law 121 of 14 July 2008). The operational implementation of controls is handled at local level by 195 Local Health Units (AUSL). The Ministry of Agriculture Foodstuff and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF) is responsible for plant health and for the controls on quality of food, feed, plant protection products and fertilisers.

Carabinieri Health Protection Unit (NAS) The NAS is a special branch of the Carabinieri which operates under the supervision and direction of MLHSP. They are organised into a central command, with 3 field offices and 35 territorial inspection units and are responsible for investigations and controls on illegal adulteration of foodstuffs, fraud, and illegal trafficking of medicines. They may perform controls and investigations on their own initiative or on request from the offices of MLHSP. Most of the 1.000 staff are warrant officers with specific technical training. The unit estimated that around 50% of their time is dedicated to food safety inspections. Regional veterinary services and public health services In the 21 Regions, responsibility for animal health, food of animal origin and feed safety and animal welfare is assigned to the regional Veterinary Services (RVS) which are normally part of the regional Public Health Services (RPHS) with the exception of one of the two autonomous Provinces where the veterinary service is part of the Provincial Agriculture Authority. Responsibility for foods of non animal origin is assigned to a separate office of the same RPHS. A total of 103 veterinarians are employed in the RPHS. The RPS employs 374 inspectors, 173 technical/administrative staff and 60 laboratory staff.

Local Health Units Import controls The Local Health Units (ASL) are public bodies responsible at local level for the organisation and management of all public health services. They have a high degree of managerial, administrative, financial and technical autonomy and are organised in sanitary districts, departments of prevention and hospital services. Public health responsibilities are shared between two separate services within the Department of Prevention: the Food Hygiene and Nutrition Service (SIAN), and the Local Veterinary Services (LVS). The LVS are responsible for: animal health, animal welfare, food of animal origin and feeding stuffs, and are usually organised into three different areas: Area A – responsible for animal health; Area B – responsible for food of animal origin; Area C – responsible for animal breeding and animal productions and by-products. Import controls Controls on imported animals, food of animal origin and feeding stuffs are carried out at 35 Border Inspection Posts (BIPs) which report directly to MLHSP. =========================================== Bibliography:  http://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_pubblicazioni_1298_allegato.pdf By: 4AF – Itis Pininfarina