APPENDIX VI - Provisional Agenda

Agenda Item

Subject matter

Document Reference Number

Opening of the Forum

1.

Election of Officers

2.

Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable

GF 02/1

3.

Keynote Address - Building effective food safety systems: "Application of risk analysis"

CRD 1

4.

Strengthening official food safety control services

GF 02/3

4.1

Defining the responsibilities and tasks of different stakeholders within the framework of a national strategy

GF 02/4

4.2

Legal basis for food safety official and non-official control

GF 02/5

4.3

Training of staff on official food safety control

GF 02/6

4.4

How official services foster and enforce the implementation of HACCP by industry and trade

GF 02/7

4.5

Import/export control and certification

GF 02/8

5.

Epidemio-surveillance of food-borne diseases and food safety rapid alert systems

GF 02/9

5.1

Food contamination monitoring and food-borne disease surveillance at national level

GF 02/10

5.2

International cooperation on food contamination monitoring and food-borne disease surveillance

GF 02/11

5.3

Dealing with emerging risks related to the environment and new technologies

GF 02/12

5.4

Prevention and response to intentional contamination

GF 02/13

6.

Workshops on partnership

6.1

Strengthening official food safety control services

6.2

Epidemio-surveillance of food-borne diseases and food safety rapid alert systems

7.

Presentation of the draft summary report

CRD W

N.B.: Documents will be distributed by the Joint FAO/WHO Secretariat of the Second Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators. Inquiries should be addressed as follows to:

the Food Quality and Standards Service, Food and Nutrition Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy
Fax No: +39 06 570 54593; E-mail: [email protected]

or

the Food Safety Department (FOS), Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments
World Health Organization (WHO)
Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
Fax No: +41 22 791 4807; E-mail: [email protected]

Item 1

Election of officers: Delegates will designate a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson to lead the plenary meeting of the Forum.

Item 2

Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable: In order to keep the Forum focused, any proposals for additional topics must be within the main theme, and integrated and discussed with existing items.

Item 3

Keynote address - Building effective food safety systems: application of risk analysis: Several countries have recently adopted new strategies in food safety based on risk analysis; experiences on the application of this concept in building food safety systems will be presented in the form of a keynote address. It will not be discussed.

Item 4

Strengthening official food safety control services: Official food safety control is one of the main elements of a food safety system. While it is the responsibility of industry to provide food which is safe and suitable for consumption by applying hygienic practices and controlling food hazards, governments have to adequately protect consumers from illness or injury caused by food and maintain confidence in internationally traded food. For this purpose, their official control services should be in a position to effectively enforce other relevant food safety regulations, which depends on their organizational structure and management. Different ways to improve both organization and management will be discussed, taking into account that more detailed discussions will follow the presentation of the topic papers below.

4.1

Defining the responsibilities and tasks of different stakeholders within the framework of a national strategy: The first step for all countries is the development of a national strategy which enables the country to determine priorities to ensure consumer protection and economic development and to develop an integrated, coherent, effective and dynamic food control system. It will, inter alia, clarify the respective roles of different government agencies as well as industry and consumers.

4.2

Legal basis for food safety official and non official control: Food safety control should be carried out on one hand by industry through the use of systems such as HACCP and on the other by official services. Both control activities should be supported by a comprehensive legal system. Food safety laws and regulations form the foundation of food control systems across the continuum of the food chain. They establish the right, power and obligations of every stakeholder involved in control procedure so that they can efficiently carry out their tasks.

4.3

Training of staff of official food safety control services: The food inspector is the key person who has day-to-day contact with the food industry, trade and often the public, and whose activities are increasingly diversified and sophisticated. He/She should be duly trained to carry out the various missions. Furthermore, the responsible persons at the different levels of the hierarchy of control services need appropriate training in management.

4.4

How official services foster and enforce the implementation of HACCP by industry and trade: The application of the HACCP system is recognized around the world as the chosen system of food safety management and the prevention of food-borne diseases. Since the effective application of HACCP by industry, in particular in small businesses, encounters various obstacles, the food inspector should foster its implementation. Furthermore, the audit of the HACCP system is a key element of official inspection of a food establishment.

4.5

Import/export control and certification: Consumer confidence in imported food requires an effective import control by competent authority, which carries out its own control on products and often on producing establishments, but which relies above all on official inspection and certification of the exporting country. Confidence in internationally traded food requires a reliable import/export control and certification system which implies independence and proficiency of inspectors as well as the appropriate organization of the competent authorities in both exporting and importing countries.

Item 5

Epidemio-surveillance of food-borne diseases and food safety rapid alert systems: The development of an effective food safety strategy must be based on a reliable system of information on the situation of food-borne diseases. The implementation of effective food safety measures, in particular in case of emergency, requires accurate and up to date reporting which involves official services in charge of both human health and food control, as well as collaboration of other stakeholders. Furthermore, in order to be able to launch emergency response where needed, it is necessary to anticipate risks and develop a rapid alert system.

5.1

Food contamination monitoring and food-borne disease surveillance at national level: Each country should develop an effective system for monitoring potential hazards in the food supply and for surveillance of food-borne diseases which is integrated so that links between food contamination and food-borne diseases can be established and analyzed. It will permit the estimate of the burden of food-borne disease, identify trends and priorities, detect outbreaks and emerging issues, and evaluate strategies.

5.2

International cooperation on food contamination monitoring and food-borne disease surveillance: Since food contamination has a high potential of spreading across borders, bodies in charge of epidemio-surveillance and food monitoring in the different countries should exchange information and collaborate in data collection, analysis and communication in order to improve the relevance of their risk assessment and cooperate in risk management. International cooperation is essential for detection of regional or global epidemics, emerging hazards and intentional contamination, as well as for evaluation of global trends and building communication networks. The future use of the newly established international food safety authorities network (INFOSAN) should be further discussed in this context.

5.3

Dealing with emerging risks related to the environment and new technologies: The environment may be at the origin of food hazards; persistent organic pollutants, such as dioxins and PCBs and heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and cadmium may contaminate food through pollution of air, water and soil. New technologies, such as biotechnology, and their possible adverse effects are of great concern for public health and international trade. The assessment of the related risks requires data collection and analysis, in a comprehensive framework. Management measures should be established accordingly.

5.4

Prevention and response to intentional contamination: While only a few cases of intentional contamination of food have been proven, this risk, including bio-terrorism threats, may have a local, regional or global dimension and should be given serious consideration by food safety authorities and the food industry. Since both unintentional and deliberate contaminations may be managed by many of the same mechanisms, intentional contamination should be integrated into existing national food safety and disease surveillance programmes, in particular in alert systems. International communication and cooperation on this issue are essential.

Item 6

Workshops on partnership: The aim of the workshops is to identify practical follow-up to the discussions on the two sub-themes. They could consider all forms of partnerships such as communication and exchange of information, technical assistance or cooperation, regional approach, international food safety authorities' network. The participants will be divided into two groups that will work in parallel sessions. Each group will designate a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson to lead the workshops.

6.1

Workshop on strengthening official food safety control services

6.2

Workshop on epidemio-surveillance of food-borne diseases and food safety rapid alert systems

Item 7

Presentation of the draft summary report: The Chairperson of the Forum will present the summary report of the discussions drafted by the Secretariat. This report will fully reflect the different points of view and approaches expressed during the Forum.