Risk management structureand in Germany Risk based sampling

Risk management structureand in Germany Risk based sampling coordinated programmes Georg Schreiber BVL - Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety

Organisational chart on food safety in Germany Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) • Competent national authority for food safety • Cooperation with the European Commission • Risk communication • Legislation Scientific counsel The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Bf. R) • Scientific risk assessment • Risk communication Cooperation Scientific counsel Data Federal research institutes • Counsel 16 Federal States Data Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) • Coordination • Risk management

Organisation of competent authorities Inspections of FBOs, sampling, food law enforcement European Commission coordination, legislation > 400 supervision authorities BVL: Coordination at national level, authorisations, reports 16 Federal States 35 official laboratories Official expertise, assessment of compliance

Basic Facts about the BVL Braunschweig Bundesallee Head Office, Central Services (Legal Affairs, Administration) Messeweg Plant Protection Products, Central Services (Information Technology) Berlin Mauerstraße Press Office, Food Safety Mittelstraße Veterinary Drugs, Genetic Engineering Diedersdorfer Weg Reference Laboratories • approximately 500 employees Page 4

BVL – Organisational structure Gender Equality Officer Head Office President Quality Manager Z 1 2 3 4 5 Central Services Food Safety Plant Protection Products Veterinary Drugs Genetic Engineering Analyses 1. 1 Crisis Manage ment 1. 2 Safety of the Food Chain Page 5

BVL - Risk Management in Food Safety “From Farm to Fork” Actions of BVL (examples) farms of origin plant protection products veterinary drugs genetically modified organism manufacturers coordination of control programs i. e. federal control program wholesalers Rapid Alert System in Food and Feed retailers press/public information reports (i. e. about pesticide residues) consumers Page 6

Coordination among authorities communication Federal Ministry (BMEL) risk management BVL communication risk assessment consultations on legislation and risk management 16 Federal State Ministries LAV Ministerial Conferences ass audits coordination ign me nt registration authorisation official controls regional councils, regional authorities food or feed companies official laboratories audits coordination municipal and local authorities communication registration authorisation official controls Bf. R complaints of consumers request for analysis experts‘ opinions

General Administrative Procedures (AVV) - Legal norms directed towards the administration (not to citizens or companies). - Govern the competencies of Federal Government and Federal States in questions concerning food, feed, veterinary supervision and plant protection, Examples for current AVVs: - AVV “Framework of food control“ - AVV “Rapid alert system” - AVV “Data exchange”

AVV “Framework of Food Control“ AVV on principles for the enforcement of the official controls in the field of food and feed - Substantiates demands of the European legislation for the German food control system where necessary. Aims at a harmonised enforcement of food control throughout Germany, Examples for the content of this AVV: - minimum number of samples to be analysed (5/1000 inhabitants/year), - criteria and model for the risk based control of establishments, - criteria for the risk based control of products, - risk based import controls of products of non-animal origin, - coordinated control programs, - measures in case of non-compliance, - crisis management, - information and communication system for food safety (FIS-VL)

AVV “Framework of Food Control“ Coordinated Federal control plan Aims • Survey of compliance with legal requirements including the protection of consumers’ interests • Collection of data for the review of current questions as well as for the specification of new regulation limits It consists of • Programs for control of products and establishments, • Programs concerning food, cosmetics and commodities, • Programs covering the analyses of chemical and microbiological parameters, the application of specific treatment (radiation e. g. ), labelling of products Page 10

AVV “Framework of Food Control“ Coordinated Federal control plan (cont. ) Examples • Labelling of azo-colours in food (Annex V of Reg 1333/2008) • Dioxin in beef meat from extensively held cattle • Microbiological status of … near “best before date” • Sole fish in restaurants labelled as “sole” • Labelling of “joghurt” made of oils of plant origin in restaurants • Traceability in SMEs • Nickel in toys made of metal • Cosmetics labelled as “free of parfum” Page 11

Information and Communication System (FIS-VL) Registered users may upload, download, print or edit documents via web platform (according to their rights). Working groups, committees etc. have their own work spaces.

AVV „Data management“ EU intends to define a new exposure limit for fumonisins Enquiry to member states Report to EU Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) asks BVL and Federal States for support Request for details data format Request for support Report to BMELV formats BVL assessment, queries, evaluation, report on results data queries addenda 16 Federal States evaluation of Federal States‘ databases

AVV „Rapid alert system“ National contact point of RASFF in BVL • Upstream - Contact point for Commission. Member States and Third countries • Downstream - Contact point for 16 German Federal States

1 Crisis coordination VSMK decision 09/2012: Crisis coordination (federal government and Länder) Crisis council (political level) Coordination of communication Datamanagement Task Force Situation room Crisis task force (operative level) Government and Länder authorities Scientific risk assessment

Fight against food fraud Development of early warning system • Interdisciplinary approach (participation of experts in the fields of food and feed safety, economy, statistics, customs and police services and public prosecutor‘s offices) • Analyses of incidences in the past, evaluation of websites • Coordination of activities on national level (coordinated programs) • Publication of official methods for tests on authenticity

Early warning system Possible elements • Issue monitoring • Data analyses on international level • Monitoring of new technologies • Interviews with experts from industry, trade and control bodies • Support of whistle blowers • Evaluation of facts on a scientific basis

Fight against food fraud Coordinated control programmes (1) Jahr Title of the programmes 2006 Carbon monoxide treatment of salmon and tuna 2006 Increased water content in boiled ham - improper addition of foreign protein 2007 Use of cheese imitations without labeling 2008 Labelling of vanilla in vanilla ice cream, vanilla pudding and custard 2008 "Low in sugar", "sugar free" and "no sugar added" in accordance with the Health Claim Regulation 2009 Use of starch in boiled sausages 2009 Quality of boiled ham and ham imitations in the catering

Fight against food fraud Coordinated control programmes (2) Jahr Title of the programmes 2011 Fish species identification in fish portions labelled as sole in gastronomy 2012 Boiled sausage without labelling the use of poultry meat 2012 Imitated yogurt in gastronomy (yogurt with vegetable fat) 2014 Analysis of meat, meat products and ready meals which are labelled as "beef" on other, non-declared species (except for horse meat) 2014 Use of MSM (mechanically seperated meat) in finely minced boiled sausage with emphasizing indication of quality

Fight against food fraud Support of whistle blowers

Fight against food fraud Special task forces (example: Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority Bavaria, LGL) • Established as a result of the rotten meat scandal in 2006 • Team of experts: Food inspectors, butchers, layers, computer specialists, food technologists, agriculture engineers, administration officers etc. • Joint controls of food establishments together with the local food control authorities • Competence for supraregional measures, enforcement competence • In five years more than 1630 inspections, disclosure of more than 170 cases of serious deficiencies like food fraud

Control of e-commerce G@ZIELT Central unit “Control of e-commerce of food, feed, cosmetics, commodities and tobacco” since 1 July 2013 • Decision by all Länder Ministers of Consumer Protection – Online research conducted by a central unit (6 member staff) – Financed by the Länder – Administrative agreement between federal government and Länder • Objective: Create an internet marketplace with a similar level of product safety as on conventional markets 22

Control of e-commerce Actions and measures of G@ZIELT • Identification of risky products – Search of products offered in German language • Identification of online traders situated in Germany – Subject them to official risk based control • Allowing consumers to make well-informed choices – Trust marks, information material • Information of merchants about their responsibilities/obligations – Information material • European cooperation – FLEP WG e-commerce 23

Control of e-commerce Actions and measures of G@ZIELT Product searches Requests by Länder Annual plan (Länder/BVL) Transfer acc. to § 38 a LFGB Company data Xpider (BZSt) Data transfer EU & (Länder/BVL) Third countries Other requests 24

Control of e-commerce Annual plan • Elaborated in the run-up to the following year – Researches concerning vendors of specific product groups – Products which may have a certain risk • Annual plan 2014: – Fresh meat/fish (focus: transport to the consumer) – Tattoo ink sellers – Products containing algea – Tooth bleaching agents 25

Control of e-commerce Annual plan Examples for fresh meat products sold online 26

Control of e-commerce Annual plan Examples for fresh meat products sold online (Source: Task Force Lebensmittelsicherheit Hessen) Cooling packs do not always ensure sufficient temperature control 27

Control of e-commerce Annual plan Examples for fresh meat products sold online (Source: Task Force Lebensmittelsicherheit Hessen) no cooling packs cold chain interrupted 28

Control of e-commerce Annual plan Examples for fresh meat products sold online (Source: Task Force Lebensmittelsicherheit Hessen) Hygiene? 29

Control of e-commerce Information • Online merchants are responsible for the safety of their products – BVL: http: //www. bvl. bund. de/internethandel – Information for companies/sellers on e. Bay, amazon. de and seal providers • Consumers can minimise risks – Buying from shops with seals – Check contacts – Be careful with unrealistic promises – Be careful with purely online products – Flyer with online shopping advice: www. bvl. bund. de/flyer_internethandel Seite 30

P r o t e c t i o n m b e r 2 0 1 3 Information of consumers The spirit of freedom of information acts a n d F o o d S a f e t y Development from Professional confidentiality Principle of official secrecy Principle of restricted file access to Freedom of information Transparent administration Access to files for every citizen

F 1 Information of consumers Public warnings on food products • Authorities shall inform consumers • risk to public health, misleading or disgusting • Entrepreneur has to inform the public • If food may have reached the consumer

P r o t e c t i o n a n d F o o d S a f e t y m b e r 2 0 1 3 www. lebensmittelwarnung. de • • • Latest warnings: All warnings: Warnings in Federal States: ten most recent warnings all relevant warnings all warnings of a Federal State

F 1 www. lebensmittelwarnung. de For each warning details with all relevant information are given on a subpage (Batch no, expiry date, ect). Information allows consumer to easily identify the product and its health hazard

P r o t e c t i o n m b e r 2 0 1 3 Information of consumers Information on pesticide residues a n d F o o d S a f e t y • Exceeding legal maximum residue levels of pesticides – Pressure of NGO towards retailers and authorities – Increased official controls – Action of retailers • Task Force in BVL – Dialogue with all stakeholders to identify problems – Find solutions • Regular publication of control results – Exceedance rate for German and EU products below 1 %

P r o t e c t i o n a n d F o o d S a f e t y m b e r 2 0 1 3 Consumer organisation Clarity and truth about food products www. lebensmittelklarheit. de • Consumers can complain about specific products • Producer is allowed to respond to complain

P r o t e c t i o n a n d F o o d m b e r 2 0 1 3 Thank you for your attention! S a f e t y Contact: Dr. Georg Schreiber BVL - Safety of the Food Chain gruppe 12@bvl. bund. de