Post on 19-Apr-2018
The EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed
(RASFF)
Brussels, 23 November 2011
Stefanie Roth, DG SANCOEuropean Commission
Objective
Is to provide a rapid exchange of information among European countries and the European Commission as well as third countries about direct or indirect risks detected in relation to food or feed
How it started?
1978 – an incident concerning oranges from Israel injected with mercury found in the Netherlands and GermanyPolitical terrorism that provoked concern about food safety and resulted in setting up rapid alert system
Legal basis (1)Articles 50-52 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law:
Article 50: Rapid alert system Article 51: Implementing measuresArticle 52: Confidentiality rules for the
rapid alert system
Legal basis (2a)Commission Regulation (EU) 16/2011 laying down implementing measures for the Rapid alert system for food and feed
Article 1: DefinitionsArticle 2: Duties of members of the networkArticle 3: Alert notificationsArticle 4: Information notificationsArticle 5: Border rejection notificationsArticle 6: Follow-up notifications
Legal basis (2b)Commission Regulation (EU) 16/2011 laying down implementing measures for the Rapid alert system for food and feed
Article 7: Notification submissionArticle 8: Verification of the notificationArticle 9: Notification withdrawal and
amendmentsArticle 10: Exchange of information with
third countriesArticle 11: PublicationsArticle 12: Enter into force:
30.01.2011
Members of the RASFFContact point in each of the 30 Member Countries
European Food Safety Authority
European Commission
EFTA Surveillance Authority
Switzerland – partial participation
Austria Greece Portugal Iceland Belgium Hungary Romania NorwayBulgaria Ireland Slovakia LiechstensteinCyprus Italy Slovenia Czech Republic Latvia Spain Denmark Lithuania Sweden Estonia Luxembourg United Kingdom Finland MaltaFrance NetherlandsGermany Poland
RASFF networks
Simple structure:clearly identified contact points organized way of information exchange by means of templates
In case of an urgent notification outside of office hours all members have out-of-hours arrangements (24/7)
Criteria for notification
Food and feed for which exists a direct or indirect risk to human health
Since 2006 also animal health and environmental threat for feed: this includes pet food (Regulation (EC) N°183/2005)
Alert NotificationsMeans a notification of a risk (deriving from food or feed) that requires or might require rapid action in another member country.
Information NotificationsMeans a notification of a risk (deriving from food or feed) that does not require rapid action in another member country.
Border Rejection Notifications
Means a notification of a any rejection of food or feed (related to a direct or indirect risk to human health) by a competent authority of a member country.
RASFF NewsInformation related to the safety of food/feedNot communicated as an ‘alert’, ‘information’or ‘border rejection’notificationBut judged as interesting for competent authorities
What triggers RASFF notifications
Usually triggered by a control:A control on the marketA control at the EU border
Usually an official control but it can be an own-check, verified by official authorities and followed up by an official control if necessaryConsumers’ complaint – minority of the cases:
e.g. food poisoning
Basis for notifications
border rejectionsborder control consignment releasedofficial control on the marketCompany’s own check consumer complaintsfood poisoningofficial control in a non-member country
Upstream workflow
Outcome of investigations in a member country
Collecting of all information available
preparation of an notification
and classification by the National Contact Point (NCP)
Commission Contact Point
Downstream workflow
Transmission of the notification to all membercountries and third countries involved
Verification of the notification received (subject has to be complete, correct and has to fall under the
scope of the RASFF)
Makes small changes where necessary
Commission Contact Point
MEMBER COUNTRYNOTIFICATION
RASFF ASSESSMENT
FEEDBACK FROM
MEMBER COUNTRIES
RASFFTRANSMISSION
MEMBERCOUNTRIES
THIRD COUNTRYCONCERNED
Business/Consumer
FEEDBACK FROM THIRD COUNTRY
CONCERNED
RASFFPORTAL
ANNUALREPORT
Border Control
Market Control
Third country
Media
Templates – main contentGeneral informationHazardsProductRisk/measuresTraceability of the lot(s)Border controlOther information
RASFF in the context of third countries
RASFF is obliged by Art. 50 of EC Regulation 178/2002 to inform third countries about:
risk originating from these countrieshazardous EU products send to these countries
RASFF trade facilitating effects
Thanks to notifications the authorities of countries concerned are able to take the appropriate actions.
The exporter has the possibility to resolve the problem that led to the notification which consequently allows the trade to resume normally.
RASFF websitehttp://ec.europa.eu/rasff
information regarding the system, its legal basis, members, news…publicly accessible database - RASFF Portalpublications