Support to Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Standards
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland – Department of Agriculture
- Food and The Marine of Ireland
- Finnish Food Authority and Creative Business Solutions
14/01/2019 - 13/01/2023
Overall Objective
To establish institutional and administrative capacities, in line with the overall Public Administration Reform agenda, to ensure improved protection of human, animal and plant health; to support agri-food industry competitiveness; to enhance environmental protection and facilitate progress towards EU accession.
Summary of the Project
This project aims to contribute to an increased protection of human, animal and plant health at every stage of the food production process, through the establishment of the institutional and administrative capacities in line with the overall Public Administration Reform agenda. This will be achieved by assisting the reform and ensuring capacity building for the relevant administrative structures to implement policy actions; and by raising public awareness to ensure that consumers are properly informed about their choices, roles and responsibilities in the food safety system.
The project also aims to establish the necessary legal and institutional framework by building the appropriate capacity for administrative structures to adopt the EU acquis and to monitor the progress in the field of food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary, in line with the strategic objectives.
Activities
- Assist the beneficiary to carry out the selection of employees in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Law of 2013 and in coordination with the Department of Public Administration
- Support the preparation of a training programme to encourage the personal and professional development of the employee, including modules on gender sensitisation and on basic gender skills
- Carry out a functional analysis of the institutions involved in food safety/quality; advise on the organisational structure of the ministry and related agencies in line with policy objectives, while ensuring appropriate lines of accountability between them
- Support the integration or updating of information tools that provide the basic data required to prepare operational plans or monitoring strategies
- Assist the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration to establish a communication programme towards stakeholders to inform them and raise their awareness on their roles along the food chain
- Support in setting up the capacities for facilitating access for both men and women (rural and urban) to information about relevant legislation, public consultations, rules for marketing of food food, production and consumption related to safety; support the adoption of tools to inform food businesses on the national regulations regarding food safety, animal and plant health and ensure that they are enforced
- Engage with teaching institutions to improve the undergraduate and technical curricula in concerned fields and for continuing professional development and vocational qualifications for employees and businesses in the sector
- Support the administrative structures in increasing the coverage and effectiveness of food quality controls (and put in place adequate sanctions)
- Assist the ministry in transposing, drafting and updating the national legislation in line with the EU acquis, and in developing sectoral policy in an inclusive and evidence-based manner
- Assist the relevant units in the ministry in establishing clear monitoring indicators for policy measures and monitoring the progress towards achieving objectives as foreseen in the relevant strategic documents
Expected Results
- The skills of a re-organised and adequately staffed administration are improved
- The administrative capacity to adopt, integrate and implement the EU acquis and standards in food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary areas is ensured, in an inclusive and evidence-based manner
- The awareness of consumers and the active participation of consumer-related organisations in policy and legislative development are improved
- The safety and quality of marketed food is improved due notably to the increased role of consumers
- The legal and institutional framework related to the EU acquis for food safety and veterinary and phytosanitary standards is in place
- Appropriate EU acquis and standard-related policy measures are designed and efficiently implemented and monitored, in consultation with stakeholders and civil society organisations
Llazar Korra
llazar.korra@eeas.europa.eu
