1. OFFICIAL CONTROL OF FOOD LABELLING AND FOOD QUALITY CONTROL Dr. Pirjo-Liisa Penttilä Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Finland

2. LEGISLATION Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 Official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and welfare rules Covers: food safety, other consumer protection (food labelling) Came into force on 11th January 2006

3. WHY NEW LEGISLATION ? Earlier legislation: sectoral, overlapping and loopholes Problems with national control systems Harmonised Community approach needed Role of the Commission´s own control services not clear

4. FOOD SAFETY POLICY Must be based on a comprehensive, integrated approach Business operators have the prime responsibility for safety Competent authorities monitor and enforce this responsibility Must be risk-based Covering food chain ”farm to table”

5. MAIN TARGETS Community framework of national control systems General requirements for competent authorities Their responsibilities to check that business comply with legislation Also role of Commissions Food and Veterinary Office defined

6. NATIONAL ENFORCEMENT Member States should establish and implement multiannual national control plans Annual reports are needed: - how multiannual control plans are implemented, results, (indicators) - corrections to plans if needed Commission control services verifies control activities and results

7. FINNISH NATIONAL PROGRAMME Instructs officials in Finland how arrange food control which covers: Basic and special legislation Whole food and feed chain All type of products quality andlabelling Imports /Exports Laboratories, inspections, sampling

8. PLANNING OF PROGRAMME Planning is based on domestic co-operation -different ministries -district authorities -local authorities

9. PLANNING OF PROGRAMME 2 Timing of planning is important Activities for the next year should be ready as early as possible (Multiannual/Annual Progarams) EU has schedules for specific control programs

10. PLANNING OF PROGRAMME 3 Financing must be planned: - sampling and laboratory analysis Reserving laboratory capasity Sampling officers should be available Good knowledge of the item is needed - training programs

11. PLANNING OF PROGRAMME 4 National plan can be based on: Legislation (EU or national) Recommendations (EU or national) Earlier activities Found violations Risk evaluation Consumer or other interests

12. PLANNING OF PROGRAMME 5 National Food Agency is responsible for co-ordination of national programme NFA expects local authorities to prepare their own food control plans, taking into consideration the contents of the national food control programme

13. PLANNING OF PROGRAMME 6 Local plans should be submitted to provincial state offices by the end of February They should be based on up-to-date information concerning all local food establishments, risk assessment, available resources and statuory requirements

14. EU MONITORING PROGRAMMES EU legislation -national salmonella programme -foreign subtances in products of animal origin -pesticide residues -dioxins in fish - EU co-ordinated annual programmes

15. Examples from national programmes Evaluations of local food control HACCP systems: development and training continued Effects of new food legislation Import Control Control programmes: Products from nature Yersinia etc.

16. Annex LIST OF LEGISLATION GUIDELINES FOR FOOD CONTROL - responsibilities of different authorities -planning of control -registration of establishments -monitoring of in-house control -sampling and laboratory analyses

17. CHANGES NEEDED IN FINLAND Multiannual plans / Annual plans: How to implement? Examples from other EU countries More public information of official food control, Campaignes How to take into consideration in-house control Development of indicators and information systems