SUPPORTING EVIDENCE-BASED POLICIES Professor Mike Roberts Chief Executive Central Science Laboratory – Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs United Kingdom

Background Purpose built £120M laboratory based in York Turnover - £42m 700 staff, over 500 live projects AIM: “Sustaining and safeguarding agriculture, food and environment”

attributes activities Government function Quality Approach Flexibility Policy making Regulation Emergencies Research Surveillance Forensics Database management Advice Risk assessment and management Representation Facilities Experts Creating knowledge, providing solutions

Customers Veterinary Medicines Directorate Pesticides Safety Directorate Countryside Agencies European Commission Environment Agency Food Standards Agency Industry and Levy Boards Department for Environment and Rural Affairs Department for International Development Overseas Governments

CSL Objectives  Counter invasive species, pests and diseases and support contingency plans.  Promote safety of pesticides, veterinary medicines and environmental contaminants.  Assess the quality, authenticity and safety of foods.  Support agri-environment schemes, wildlife management and vertebrate control.  Develop novel biocontrol agents and non-food crops.

Science at CSL Plant health Wildlife Ecology And Management Environmental Biology Agricultural and Rural Strategy Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Food Safety and Quality Proficiency Testing

Scientific Services Data Flow

EU Activities 1.EFSA – Risk Assessment 2.Collaborative Research FP6 3. Support to new member states – TWINNING

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)  Risk Assessment Hazard identificationHazard identification hazard characterisationhazard characterisation exposure assessmentexposure assessment risk characterisationrisk characterisation  Risk Communication NOT  Risk Management (DG SANCO)

European Food Safety Authority  Independent scientific advice on food safety issues to underpin policy development and legislation related to the food chain  Science Committees: -Food additives, flavourings, processing and contact materials -Dietetic products, nutrition and allergies  Science Programmes -Integration of data -Emerging Risks -Contingency support

Nitrofurans Analyses - Port Health Samples

Numbers of Samples of Spices for Illegal Dyes Analyses Sudan I, II, III & IV 2 Para Red 3 Rhodamine B, Sudan Orange G Sudan Red 7B Butter Yellow 4 Orange II 5 Sudan Red B Sudan Red G Sudan Black B Toluidene Red 1

Priorities in FP6 Programme  Total food chain  Epidemiology of food-related diseases  Impact of food on health  ‘Traceability’ along the production chain  Methods of analysis, detection and control  Safer and environmentally friendly production methods and technologies  Impact of animal feed on human health  Environmental health issues

Some examples of EU projects involving CSL  Integrated Project – TRACE (co-ordinated by CSL)  Integrated Project – BIOCOP (co-ordinated N Ireland)  STREP project – HEATOX (co-ordinated Sweden)  STREP project – QA-LIBRA (co-ordinated Iceland)  SSA project – SELAMAT (co-ordinated Netherlands)

(IP) - tracing the origin of food  “To develop traceability methods and systems that will provide consumers with added confidence in the authenticity of European food.” M€ 60 months 50 participants (13 SME’s) European Commission -DG Research

European initiatives to support food traceability  Consumer socio-economic concerns and preferences relating to the origin of food-  BSE,  dioxins,  Sudan red,  regional foods,  type of production  EU FPVI Food A T 4.1 “ Development of reliable traceability methods and systems to establish the origin/mode of production of food products ”

European Commission -DG Research Traceability systemsAnalytical Tools Consumer Awareness & Behaviour Demonstration, Training, Dissemination TIMCS ForkFarm + Traceable data capable of verifying the origin of food (IP) - tracing the origin of food

Twinning – Supporting EU Enlargement EU-funded Twinning Programme Aims to assist Accession States and Candidate Countries develop modern and efficient administrations comparable to those of Member States Experts from Member States work with the beneficiary States for at least a year to build capacity in clearly defined areas Twinning is open to public sector organisations only

Support to new Member States - TWINNING CSL will work with Accession Countries to build capacity in Phytosanitory Regulations and Food Safety

Twinning – CSL’s portfolio of projects Phytosanitary support for Poland (with NI-CO; 2004– 06) Phytosanitary support for Estonia (with CABI & PDIR; 2004–07) Plant protection training in Lithuania (with PSD & SASA; 2005–06) Phytosanitary support for Hungary (tba) Food safety support in Malta (with FSAI; ) Establishment of Food-Chain Laboratories Agency in Republic of Serbia (with FSA & NI-CO; )

EU FP6: PORT CHECK  Coordinator: CSL (I Barker)  Network of EU Plant Health testing labs and inspection services (38 partners;)  Strong SME presence  Principal stakeholders included R&D partners (black) SME partners (grey) Ring testing partners (green)

 Feasibility of transferring real-time PCR technology to EU inspection services (quarantine plant diseases).  Improved policing of EU borders to protect our crops and native species.  Contingency planning: animal health and agri-bioterrorism. EU FP6: PORTCHECK: On-site testing

Aim: To improve the cooperation and coordination of research programmes through: Networking of research activities conducted at national or regional level. Mutual opening of national and regional research programmes. EUPHRESCO (EU PHytosanitary RESearch Coordination) ERA-NET Coordination Action (CA) Maximum funding: 3 million Euros (100% eligible costs) Initiated by the COPHS and also supported by SCAR Coordinator: Defra CSL, UK ca. 4 years duration Proposal to be submitted to the final FP6 call: 4 Oct 2005 Sixth Framework Programme - ERA-NET Scheme

 Eligible partners are research funders/programme managers acting on behalf of Member State legal entities  Full partners must also have an existing research programme in the phytosanitary field.  24 Full partners, representing 17 countries: UK, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey.  6 Observers: Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta and Portugal. EUPHRESCO - Partners

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Safety  EU and national strategy shifting from agricultural competitiveness to underpinning sustainable rural economy and environmental objectives.  Pro-active approach of EU Agencies to food safety, with increases in national monitoring programmes and controls on food imports.  National requirements to maintain capacity for risk management and contingency responses.  Consolidation of the science base in national institutes and within ag-chem and food industries.