IPA Conference
”Community Agencies: partners in accession”
PARALLEL SESSION A – Workshop 3: Health
LESSONS LEARNED
Zorica Jurković,
Croatian Food Agency, Director
HRVATSKA AGENCIJA ZA HRANU (HAH)
25-27 November 2009
Sintra, Portugal
Introduction
• 18 June 2004 - Croatia become the candidate country
• 3 October 2005 - negotiations opened, 33(+2) chapters
• 02 October 2009 - 28 out of 35 negotiation chapters
have been opened so far. Out of these chapters,
twelve have been provisionally closed
• Chapter 12. – Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary
Policy (opened on 02 Oct 2009)
• Different model of accession process (new elements)
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Experience of technical assistance so far
Historical overview of the cooperation with EFSA
• started in 2006 and 2007 - “Progress towards accession:
Strengthening the food safety systems in Turkey and
Croatia”
• continuing the cooperation in 2008 and 2009
 HAH is contact point and the coordinating institution of all
activities in Croatia
 National coordinator of the Programme (HAH staff)
 Assistant coordinator – paid by the Programme
 Seconded National Expert – working in EFSA Legal and
Policy Affairs Unit since July 2007
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Key elements of success
• Being informed on recent developments in the EU food
safety area,
• Participation in EFSA networks (Advisory Forum, BSE
Network),
• Taking active part in EFSA initiatives on data collection
(Task Force on Zoonoses Data Collection),
• Taking part in training seminars on topics of relevance for
competent authorities in Croatia in the context of
accession negotiations,
• Further development of cooperation with MS institutions,
• Development of networks and collaboration with
neighbouring countries – Candidates and Potential
Candidates
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Key Results – Training Seminars
2006
2007
2008
2009
Seminar on Crisis
Handling
Split
Seminar on BSE
Zagreb
Seminar on EFSA in
the EU Food Safety,
Brussels
Study Visit to FSA and
DEFRA London
Seminar on Risk
Assessment,
Dubrovnik
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Seminar on
Stakeholders
Relations, Dubrovnik
Jul
Aug
Seminar on Advisoy
Forum
Opatija
Sep
Seminar on GMO
Istanbul
Data Collection
Workshop
Parma
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seminar on Risk
Communic.
Osijek
Study Visit to
AFSSA, Paris
Seminar on
Microbial RA
Zagreb
Seminar on EFSA and
work of Panels, Parma
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Key Results – Participation in EFSA meetings
2006
2007
2008
Jan
PRAPeR meeting
Parma
Feb
AF Comm WG,
Brussels
Mar
AF IT WG
Sofia
Conference on Feed
Additives, London
Apr
Advisory Forum,
Berlin
AF Comm WG,
Dublin
Pesticide Steering Committee,
Parma
Jun
Scientific Colloquium
on GMO, Tabiano
Jul
PRAPeR meeting
Parma
Chem. Occurrence Data,
Parma
Management Board
meeting, Parma
AF Comm WG
Hague
Oct
Symposium on
Nutrition and Health,
Bologna
Management Board
meeting, Helsinki
Dec
Advisory Forum,
Prague
Advisory Forum,
Stockholm
Aug
Nov
Chem. Occurrence Data,
Parma
Scientific Colloquium
on Acrylamide,
Tabiano
May
Sep
2009
Task Force on Zoonoses,
Parma
Conference with Stakeholders,
Toulouse
PRAPeR meeting
Parma
Advisory Forum,
Hague
Advisory Forum,
Paris
Task Force on Zoonoses,
Brussels
EFSA Focal Points,
Parma
BSE Contact Points
meeting, Parma
AF Comm WG,
Parma
Food Consumption Data
Collection, Parma
Scientific Colloquium
on Campylobacter,
Rome
Zoonoses Reporting
Training, Parma
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Croatian food safety organisation scheme:
Beneficiaries/Stakeholders of the EFSA Programme
CROATIAN GOVERNMENT
Risk Management
MINISTRY OF
AGRICULTURE,
FISHERIES AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
VETERINARY
INSPECTION
PRIVATE LABS
Risk Assessment
CROATIAN FOOD
AGENCY (HAH)
MINISTRY OF
HEALTH AND
SOCIAL WELFARE
SANITARY
INSPECTION
CROATIAN VETERINARY
INSTITUTE (HVI)
HVI RIJEKA, SPLIT,
VINKOVCI, KRIŽEVCI,
POULTRY CENTER
CROATIAN NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC
HEALTH
COUNTY OFFICES
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
PRIVATE LABS
FOOD CONTROL
CENTER
Faculty of Food
Technology and
Biotechnology
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Main Challenges
Challenge: Networking between different institutions
working in the area of food safety on the national level
Solution: Assistant coordinator paid by the EFSA
Programme facilitated communication and information
exchange,
Challenge: Staying on track with the latest
developments in the EU food safety arena
Solution: Taking part in EFSA’s
communication and data collection networks.
Challenge: Limited financial resources within the
Programme → many good ideas for cooperation remained
unfulfilled
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Needs and Expectations for Future
• Continue the cooperation with EFSA through further
technical assistance in area of risk assessment and risk
communication
• Further develop cooperation with the Member States,
• Develop working relations with similar institutions in
other Candidate countries and neighbouring Potential
Candidate countries
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Croatian Food Agency (HAH)
Ivana Gundulića 36 b
31 000 Osijek
Croatia (Hrvatska)
OSIJEK
Tel:
Fax:
+385 31/ 214-900
+385 31/ 227-600
+385 31/ 214-901
Free Consumers Phone: 0800 0025
info@hah.hr
www.hah.hr
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