DGAL ACTIVITY REPORT
KEY FACTS
2014
the FRENCH DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR FOOD
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Editorial
In 2014, the French Directorate General
for Food (DGAL) continued to engage in
a wide range of diverse activities, whose
overall aim is to ensure that all citizens
have access to safe, healthy, high-quality
food. In the current context of an increasing world population, trade globalisation
and climate change, the directorate’s role
of ensuring food safety and public health
has become very important.
Our work on the Future of Agriculture, Food
and Forestry Act played a central role as
one of our key projects in 2014. The Act
was promulgated on 14 October 2014 and
has given French agriculture fresh momentum by setting out a path towards agro-ecology while addressing the challenges of
economic competitiveness and ecological,
health and social issues.
The Act has helped to confirm and strengthen the key strategic priorities of our
actions:
•reaffirming public food policy on the
basis of four priorities, namely social justice, educating young people
about food, combating food waste
and ensuring actions are rooted in
their local context;
•managing agricultural inputs, plant
health products and antibiotics;
•taking better account of animal welfare;
•transparency and improving the effectiveness of inspection services.
In addition to these ambitious projects,
which guided our actions in 2014 and will
be continued in 2015, it is important not
to forget our ongoing efforts in the areas
of food safety, dealing with outbreaks of
animal and plant diseases and managing
health alerts, which constitute our core
business.
Similarly, at the international level, the
DGAL has also actively pursued its efforts to influence matters at a European
and international level and to promote
the quality of the French food safety
system to other countries. As a result,
it has been able to facilitate access to
external markets for French products by
lifting health and plant health barriers. I
hope you enjoy reading our report, which
demonstrates the ongoing commitment
of the teams who work to improve the
daily lives of citizens and respond to their
concerns.
Patrick Dehaumont
Director General for Food
Contents
Editorial.................................................................................................................................................... 3
MAJOR PROJECTS...................................................................................................................................... 6
2014 OVERVIEW......................................................................................................................................18
ANIMAL HEALTH & PROTECTION........................................................................................................22
PLANT HEALTH AND PROTECTION.....................................................................................................32
SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY FOOD FOR EVERYONE................................................................................40
COMBATING FOOD CRIME.....................................................................................................................54
HEALTH CRISES AND ALERTS..............................................................................................................60
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION.................................................................................................68
NEGOTIATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE...............................................................................72
THE DGAL IN FIGURES...........................................................................................................................82
FAITS MARQUANTS
MAJOR
PROJECTS
6
The French Directorate General for Food implements a food
policy aimed at ensuring healthy, safe, accessible, balanced
and high-quality food to help protect consumers and citizens
and respond to food safety expectations. It manages a
number of projects that are central to its activities in these
areas:
•the health aspect of the Future of Agriculture, Food
and Forestry Act, which signals a marked shift in favour of
agro-ecology and the multiple roles of French farms,
•food policy, which promotes a model for the future in response to societal expectations,
•the implementation of a new form governance in animal and plant health following the national debate on
health that took place in 2010,
•the Écophyto Plan, which aims to reduce the use of plant
health products whilst reconciling the need for competitiveness with respect for public health and the environment,
•the Écoantibio Plan, which advocates cautious, rational
antibiotic use,
•a public policy on animal welfare.
7
Food and
Forestry Act
Achievements
in 2014
©Cheick Saidou/Min.Agri.Fr
The Future
of Agriculture,
Main measures affecting
the DGAL
FAITS MARQUANTS
Food policy
8
2014 was a year of intense activity
at the DGAL, first in preparing the Act
and then during its examination by the
French Parliament, with the first reading in the National Assembly and the
Senate, followed by the second reading and finally, voting in both chambers. The Constitutional Council issued
a favourable opinion on the Act on 9
October and it was published in the
Official Gazette on 14 October.
T
he DGAL was proactive in making proposals on health-related
issues and food policy. Many of
the measures it proposed have been enshrined in the Act and will be included
in secondary legislation (orders and decrees) in 2015.
•Refocusing of the national food programme on four priorities identified
by the Government: social justice,
educating young people about food,
combating food waste and ensuring actions are rooted in their local
context,
•strengthening the position of the
National Food Council (CNA) as a
Parliament for Food, contributing to
the social debate,
•promoting local produce and short
food supply chains in the context
of regional sustainable agriculture
plans (PRAD) and local food projects.
Transparency and improving
the effectiveness of inspection
services
•Transparency through publishing
inspection results in conditions to
be defined by decree: consumers
will have access to the results of
inspections carried out throughout
the food chain,
•administrative policing of sites: introduction of new tools for services,
such as automatic consignment and
emergency measures,
•terms of service for public-service
work commissioned from analytical
laboratories run by councils in the
départements.
Antibiotics and veterinary
medicines: control and transparency
•Measures aimed at limiting and
monitoring the use of antibiotics in
veterinary medicine to prevent and
combat antibiotic resistance,
•reduction targets laid down in law:
25% reduction in three years for
third and fourth generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones,
•monitoring of commercial practices.
Control of phytopharmaceuticals
•Obligations related to integrated
control,
•transfer of decisions on marketing
authorisations of plant health products and fertilising materials from
the DGAL to ANSES, the French national risk-assessment agency,
•introduction of a plant health pharmacovigilance system to monitor
the impact of plant health products
on the environment and human
health,
•stronger efforts to combat counterfeiting and illegal imports,
•ban on any public and trade advertising outside except at sales outlets
and in specialist media,
•trial of a plant health products savings certificate scheme,
•easier access and promotion of use
of biological controls as an innovative
alternative to plant health products.
Recognising the role of wildlife
in health systems
•Recognition of hunters as key actors
in preventing, monitoring and combating health hazards,
•Recognition of the health responsibilities of the National Office of Hunting and Wildlife (ONFCS) under the
French Rural and Maritime Fishing
Code,
•Adaptation of prevention and
control tools to wildlife.
Livestock traceability
•Identification of camelids (see key
fact p.25).
Monitoring
•Organisation of animal health, plant
health and food monitoring, by defining the respective missions and
obligations of the key actors, the
terms under which they exchange
information and how they coordinate activities.
Animal welfare
•Appointment of national referral
centres for animal welfare responsible for providing technical expertise and contributing to the dissemination of research results and
technical innovations,
•adaptation of provisions relating to
the transportation of live animals to
European Union law,
•tightening of the rules applicable to
the trade in domestic pets, in par-
ticular by redefining the declaration
threshold for breeding cats and
dogs, and regulating or prohibiting
certain methods of selling vertebrates or transferring them free of
charge.
The new Act sets a course towards
agro-ecology and emphasises the need
for French agriculture and the food-processing and forestry sectors to perform
in multiple ways in response to economic, environmental, health and social
requirements. It marks an important step
in the pursuit of our public policy, namely
promoting innovative practices and cultivation systems as part of an agro-ecological approach.
9
Public food policy
Achievements
in 2014
A model for the future
in response to societal
expectations
Access to high-quality
food for everyone
Through institutional food
services
FAITS MARQUANTS
Promotion of local sourcing, in particular through access to methodological tools designed to make it easier to
source high-quality, local produce.
10
The new National Food Programme
(PNA), presented by Stéphane Le Foll
on 11 December 2014, is the result of
both four years of experience implementing French public food policy and
a new ambition.
T
he new National Food Programme
builds on the approach already
underway, the partnerships developed and the actions taken until now, and
it also embraces the new framework for
this public policy enshrined in the Future
of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Act.
*Our model is for the future
The programme priorities for 20142017 are focused on four key areas:
•social justice,
•educating young people about food,
•combating food waste,
•ensuring the actions taken are
rooted in their local area and valuing
our food heritage.
To find out more:
http://alimentation.gouv.fr/pna-2
For vulnerable groups
Reform of the French food-aid system,
begun in 2010 via the Agriculture and
Fishing Modernisation Act, is now operational at the national and regional level.
Eighteen network leaders were accredited
nationally between 2013 and 2014. The
process was rolled out to the regions in
2014 by introducing local accreditations
aimed at local associations.
To find out more: http://agriculture.gouv.
fr/Habilitation-associations-caritatives
Food products from the south-west region.
Since 1 January, 2014: the Food
Distribution Programme for the
Most Deprived Persons (MDP) has
been replaced by the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived
(FEAD)
•The FEAD, launched in January 2014,
is defined by Regulation (EU) No
223/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March,
2014.
•The French operational programme
to implement the FEAD at the national level was approved by the European Commission on 31 July 2014.
Promoting more
sustainable consumption
Social justice
•Monitoring committee appointed
to ensure monitoring of the National
Pact to Combat Food Waste, evaluate it and track the progress made
between now and 2025,
•on 16 October 2014, National Day
to Combat Food Waste, Stéphane
Le Foll awarded eight “anti-waste”
prizes to the winners in eight categories of committed stakeholders,
•a parliamentary mission given to
Guillaume Garot, with the aim of re-
moving the barriers that continue
to exist throughout the food chain,
putting forward recommendations and promoting good practices currently in place.
Improving product quality
•Launch of the “quality ingredients”
pact at the Paris International Agricultural Show in February 2014;
•signature of three new collective
agreements (increasing the number
of recognised collective agreements
to four):
-
the artisanal bakery sector agreement;
- the agreement with Herta;
-
the cold non-alcoholic beverages
sector agreement.
To find out more: http://alimentation.gouv.
fr/accords-collectifs
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Nutrition section of the
Food Observatory (Oqali)
The data available to Oqali cover 25 of the
27 industrial sectors representing over
80% of the processed food products supply.
An initial study of almost all sectors has
now been carried out to establish a baseline, with nine sectors undergoing a follow-up study.
11
Gaec Guilbert’s Holstein cattle producing organic milk
for “Les 2 Vaches”. The herd is fed on a mix
of fodder when the cows are indoors.
Roll-out of the new
health governance
system continued
in 2014.
Achievements
in 2014
Consolidation of existing
bodies and tools
•National (CNOPSAV) and Regional
(CROPSAV) Guidance Councils on
Animal and Plant Health Policy.
FAITS MARQUANTS
The CNOPSAV or “Health Parliament”,
chaired by the Minister or his representative, is a consultation body for health
strategies and associated technical measures:
The following took place at the national level:
•3 CNOPSAV plenary meetings,
•3 CNOPSAV meetings specialised in
animal health,
• 3 CNOPSAV meetings specialised in
plant health.
12
CNOPSAV meetings provide a forum for:
•the health situation, particularly in relation to emergencies and alerts (e.g.
PED (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea) in
animal health or xylella fastidiosa),
•European and national health strategies.
In the regions, the plenary sections established in 2013 met and the first specialist
sessions were held.
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
New
governance
system
Key players
The CNOPSAV includes representatives from trade organisations and agricultural trade unions, veterinary surgeons’ representatives, GDS France,
FREDON France, agricultural technical
institutes and the National Federation
for the Environment, amongst others.
The work of the specialist sections is
also supported by representatives of the
administrative authorities concerned,
ANSES, FranceAgriMer, the ONF (National Forestry Office), INRA (National Institute for Agricultural Research), ONFCS
(National Office of Hunting and Wildlife)
and the presidents of the DD(CS)PP
(Departmental Directorates of Social
Cohesion and Public Protection) and
DRAAF (Regional Directorates of Food,
Agriculture and Forestry).
Animal health
Categorisation of health hazards:
following the order issued in July 2013,
two new hazards have been added to the
list: Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED)
as an emerging hazard in category 1 and
contagious agalactia in category 2 for the
Aquitaine region.
An “animal welfare” group was
created within CNOPSAV in late 2013.
The group is part of CNOPSAV’s Animal
Health section. The permanent professional members of the animal welfare
expert group are from CNOPSAV Animal
Health. Other participants are representatives of NGOs and scientists. Additional
members may be invited to participate in
the group’s work depending on the topics
under discussion.
The expert group examines draft regulations but also works on defining priorities
for national action in respect of animal
welfare. CNOPSAV’s animal welfare
group has met three times, in November
2013, March 2014 and November 2014
respectively.
Plant health
•Prioritisation and categorisation
of health hazards: a major prioritisation exercise was carried out by
ANSES and CNOPSAV met several
times to propose two lists of organisms to be regulated in categories
1 and 2. The order on categorising
plant health hazards for mainland France was published on 26
December 2014.
•Corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) was deregulated
at the national level following deregulation by the European authorities. Professionals in the sector will
continue to monitor it, however, and
report on it in the context of biological surveillance.
•Xylella fastidiosa : the CNOPSAV
was consulted on the alert situation
facing France following the discovery of an outbreak in Italy (Puglia
region)
•Changes in European regulations: the CNOPSAV was informed
about changes to European Directive 2000/29/EC, particularly on
the changes to provisions relating
to the chestnut gall wasp (establishment of protected areas) and Monilinia fructicola, a fungus affecting
apple trees (deregulation).
Continued implementation
of the scheme
•Recognition of health organisations (organisations à vocation sanitaire – OVS) and veterinary technical organisations (organisations
vétérinaires à vocation technique –
OVVT), by order in both the animal
and plant sectors.
Recognition of both kinds of organisation
will help to clarify the framework used by
the state to award or delegate health-related roles to third-party organisations.
Health organisations (OVS) have submitted their applications for ISO 17020
certification to the French accreditation
committee, COFRAC.
•Adoption of the order defining
Regional Plans for Control of
Health Hazards (order of 31 December 2014).
•Regional plans will be based on
local assessments and enable regional actors in animal and plant
health to identify priority actions
and organise their implementation.
The plans will constitute the regional health strategy in addition to regulatory measures.
More information: http://agriculture.gouv.
fr/Le-conseil-national-d-orientation-de-la-politique-sanitaire
13
Achievements
in 2014
Écophyto Plan
Reconciling competitiveness
with protection for public health
and the environment
Key figures
400,000 professionals trained
1,900 pilot farms used to identify
almost 100 resource-efficient, high-performance
cultivation systems
3,500 plant health notifications in 2014
42 agricultural colleges committed
(over 200 teachers and over 5,000 students involved)
41 experimental projects implemented at 170 sites
FAITS MARQUANTS
2014 showed that it is possible to reduce the use of plant health products
and combine environmental and economic performance whilst protecting
health.
14
T
hanks to the tools developed in relation to the Écophyto Plan, farms
have significantly reduced their
consumption of plant health products. In
the Dephy farm network, for example (Demonstration, Experimentation and Production of data on systems that reduce
consumption of plant health products),
use of these products has declined by
an average of 12% in three years in polyculture, livestock and field-crop farms.
Use on tree farms has declined by 11%.
Involving professionals,
central government
and local elected
representatives
Training programmes
Over 400,000 professionals, including almost 270,000 farmers, attended training
courses and obtained the “Certiphyto”
certificate required for selling, advising
on and using plant health products on a
professional basis.
Training for landscaping professionals:
the Certiphyto applies to them too!
Helping users of plant health
products change their practices
*Let’s produce differently
Almost 1,900 pilot farms selected for
demonstration purposes and to establish
agronomic, economic and plant-health
benchmarks contributed to identifying 95
economic, high-performance cultivation
systems.
4,000 observers in the epidemiological
monitoring network observing around
15,400 plots of land. Over 3,500 plant
health notifications were published in 2014
across all regions to provide objective information in real time on the plant health
situation and how it might change in the
short term, helping guide farmers to target
their treatments more effectively.
42 agricultural colleges involved in the
Écophyto approach involved over 5,000
students and 200 teaching staff. 128 cultivation systems were studied and assessed
for their performance.
Around 5,000 monthly visits to the ÉcophytoPIC portal on coordinated crop protection, which now has five platforms for
specific sectors.
http://agriculture.gouv.fr/Ecophytopic
Guides to designing resource-efficient systems for plant health products aimed at farmers, advisers and trainers are available.
Support for research
projects
150 Écophyto-labelled research projects have been launched and funded
by the Plan since its launch. The call for
research projects on biological controls,
launched in 2013-2014, resulted in 70
submissions; 17 of these 70 projects
are funded by the Écophyto Plan for
a total of €2,178,000 and will begin in
2015.
Numerous initiatives at a regional and
local level.
Outlook for 2015
The new Act is introducing new tools:
• introduction of an experimental plant
health products savings certificate
scheme,
•support for the development of biological controls,
• implementation of a plant health pharmacovigilance scheme
• obligation for individual advice, etc.
Furthermore, in accordance with European
Directive 2009/128 and in the absence
of a significant and long-term reduction in
the use of plant health products in France,
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls tasked
member of parliament Dominique Potier
with establishing recommendations for a
new version of the Écophyto Plan on 30
May 2014. After a significant amount of
consultation and reflection, Dominique
Potier submitted his report to Manuel Valls
on 23 December 2014 in the presence
of Ségolène Royal, Minister for Ecology,
Sustainable Development and Energy and
Stéphane Le Foll, Minister for Agriculture,
Food and Forestry.
On 30 January, on the basis of the report,
Stéphane Le Foll announced new directions and the publication of a new Écophyto Plan 2 in June 2015.
The new plan is needed because, although
many actions have been taken, the expected results have not been achieved:
French agriculture’s dependence on plant
health products continues to increase. The
challenge of disseminating best practices
is significant in terms of both health and
competitiveness.
To find out more: http://agriculture.gouv.
fr/plan-ecophyto-2015
©Cheick Saidou/Min.Agri.Fr
Dissemination of tools
developed to publicise the
principles of a coordinated
attack on threats to crops
Key players
Farmers but also economic stakeholders, consumers and amateur gardeners, associations, elected representatives, research organisations, technical
institutes, government departments,
local authorities, etc.
15
Écoantibio Plan
1 plan, 5 key areas, 40 measures
The Écoantibio plan advocates cautious, rational antibiotic use and
is hinged around:
quantitative objectives: Reduce antibiotics
consumption in veterinary medicine by 25% in five years: only
strictly necessary and appropriate amounts should be
prescribed and administered to animals.
qualitative objectives: Focus particularly on reducing
the use of critically important antibiotics in veterinary medicine
and, in particular, fluoroquinolones and third and fourth-generation
cephalosporins.
FAITS MARQUANTS
Key area 1
Raise stakeholder
awareness
Achievements
in 2014
16
*Let’s produce differently
Campaigns to raise awareness and
promote good livestock farming practices (for cattle, pigs and poultry) by
professional organisations and technical
institutes.
Cattle health inspections took place on
an annual basis from 2014, with 128,000
farms visited and antibiotic resistance
discussed with farmers.
Ongoing training for public-health
veterinarians 359 veterinary surgeons
took part in one of the 31 information
sessions on antibiotic resistance and
pharmacovigilance delivered from September onwards. Communications campaign launched in September 2014 targeting pet owners: the aim of the campaign
is to change owners’ practices and make
them more aware of the issue of antibiotic resistance. Training day organised by
IFIP – the French Pork and Pig Institute
– and ANSES, attended by 200 actors in
the pig sector including around 50 prescribing veterinary surgeons.
Key area 2
Develop alternatives
Several scientific studies have been reported and will serve as the basis for
DGAL’s future decision-making.
Report from ANSES’ review of the risk
of emergence of antibiotic resistance related to the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine.
Moving salt-meadow sheep
to summer pasture in Baie de Somme
(AOC salt-meadow lamb).
Key area 3
Strengthen the legislative
framework
The Future of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Act provides for:
•several measures for better monitoring of commercial practices:
all kinds of commercial incentives
are now prohibited when selling antibiotics,
•a legislative basis for better monitoring of antibiotic prescriptions, particularly antibiotics of
critical importance, has been established in order to reduce cases of
inappropriate use. Prescriptions will
now only be provided for medical
purposes,
•an objective of a 25% reduction
in the use of antibiotics of critical
importance has been set between
2013 and 2016,
•improvements to the conditions
and monitoring of the use of antibiotics, in particular by prohibiting
the use of antibiotics for preventive
purposes on farms and setting out a
legislative basis for monitoring use,
•bolstering criminal penalties in
the event of an offence.
To find out more: agriculture.gouv.fr/
plan-ecoantibio-2017
Key area 4
Improve monitoring
of antibiotic consumption
and antibiotic resistance
Sales monitoring: publication of the
2013 ANSES report: confirmation of
the reduction in animal exposure
to antibiotics since 2007, and an increase in decline, of 12.7% between
2011 and 2013.
For the first time, exposure is lower (reduced by 5.5%) than it was in 1999 when
monitoring was introduced.
Key area 5
Promote the approach
Organisation of a seminar in November
2014 with the French Directorate General
for Health (DGS) on the theme of antibiotic resistance in humans and animals.
At the European level:
France, the Netherlands and Denmark
have taken the initiative and are calling
on Member States to act to combat antibiotics resistance; 27 of the 28 Member
States have signed up to the initiative,
which will be taken into account in the
reformulation of European legislation
on veterinary medicines and medicinal
foods. A meeting was organised with
European Chief Veterinary Officers at
the Paris International Agricultural Show
with the aim of engaging in dialogue and
consultation in the presence of the Minister, Stéphane Le Foll.
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The plan involves
farmers in the various livestock sectors; veterinary surgeons, doctors and
pharmacists; scientists and risk assessors (ANSES); teachers; the pharmaceutical industry; public authorities;
and the general public, including all
animal owners.
17
2014 OVERVIEW
January
5
Meeting with Russian veterinary services in Berlin.
Annual General Meeting of the French
National Cattle Federation in Les
Sables d’Olonne.
CNOPSAV plenary meeting.
11
23-24
French-Moroccan Agricultural Committee.
FAITS MARQUANTS
DGAL – regional services (DRAAF)
seminar on “Plant quality and protection” (National Organisation for Plant
Protection – ONPV)
21
©Xavier Remongin/
Min.Agri.Fr
16
22
March
February
Mission in Indonesia and Singapore
on health and plant health issues.
Participation by the DGAL’s Forest
Health Department, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, in the International Day of Forests.
22 February – 2 March
27-28
•
Meeting of the Mediterranean Animal
Health Network (REMESA) in Malta.
12-14
•
18
•
Participation in the Paris International Agricultural Show.
European Chief Veterinary Officers invited to the show for a
meeting on antibiotic resistance
in the presence of the minister.
Signature of the bakery collective agreement.
31 March – 4 April
Meeting of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) in Rome.
28
Meeting of the OIE Europe Task Force
in Belgrade.
April
30
2
5
French National Food Council symposium on “French excellence in food
and international influence” in La
Rochelle.
Day organised by the Ministry on
agro-ecology.
2-3
Meeting of the European Commission
for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) in Brussels.
12-13
May
6
French-Dutch veterinary meeting
in Utrecht.
6-7
15-16
French-Italian veterinary meeting in
Ajaccio.
Annual General Meeting and 60th
anniversary of the Groupements de
défense sanitaire (GDS) France (local
livestock farmers’ associations) in
Strasbourg.
17
Closing seminar of the French-Tunisian partnership on animal health monitoring in Tunis.
22
Forum organised by the DGAL on “Biological control, the way forward for a
new way of producing” in Paris.
June
DGAL strategic plan steering committee.
12-13
French-Spanish veterinary and plant
health meeting (San Sebastian).
16
Launch, as every year, of strengthened inspections as part of the “holiday food” inter-ministerial operation,
until mid-September.
Trip to China by the Minister with a focus on food safety.
21
CNOPSAV plenary meeting.
23
Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) in
Biarritz.
25-30
82nd General meeting of representatives from the World Organisation for
Animal Health (OIE) in Paris.
19
July
September
October
1
2
1-3
Inaporc general meeting.
Meeting with environmental protection
associations.
Livestock farming summit in Cournon.
2
French-Belgian meeting in Lille.
15
3
Launch of the Ministry’s campaign on
antibiotic resistance and domestic pets
(Écoantibio Plan run by the DGAL).
French-German meeting in Berlin.
16-19
Attendance at the SPACE international
livestock farming show in Rennes.
7-8
Presentation by Stéphane Le Foll on
new priorities in public food policy.
9
•
•
23-24
Council of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation
(EPPO) in Paris.
August
FAITS MARQUANTS
23 August – 7 Sept.
20
Participation in the World Equestrian
Games, Normandy.
28
Participation in the conference for
networks of the Ministry working internationally (agricultural advisers
and attachés).
23-26
Signature of a collective agreement with the cold non-alcoholic
beverages sector.
Awareness-raising day on rabies organised by the DGAL and
ANSES, Paris.
12
Launch of French and Algerian twinned
veterinary services.
OIE Europe Regional Conference (Bern).
13
29 Sept. – 1 October
Promulgation of the Future of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Act.
DGAL – decentralised services seminar on “Animal health and protection”
in Metz.
13-14
Executive Committee of the European Commission for the Control of
Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD),
Sofia.
13-15
Visit to the DGAL by a delegation of re-
presentatives of U.S. cities on school
food programmes.
19-20
16
Meeting with Russian veterinary services in Moscow.
National Day to Combat Food Waste.
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
November
3-4
REMESA meeting in Tunis.
4
December
CNOPSAV committee meeting – Animal Welfare.
17
Conseil supérieur de l’ordre des vétérinaires (CSOV) congress in Lyon.
•
19-23
Participation in the Global Food Marketplace (SIAL), Paris.
28
French and Russian Agricultural Committee.
1
12
•
Symposium on “Antibiotic resistance in humans and animals”
organised with the Directorate
General for Health (DGS).
DGAL strategic plan steering
committee.
13
Establishment of the Standing Technical Committee on Selection (CTPS).
Launch of the annual “Festive Season” operation.
3-4
OIE Europe Task Force in Madrid.
16
CNOPSAV plenary meeting.
16
Committee-Council of the World Animal Health and Welfare Fund (OIE).
As well as...
•monthly meetings of the DRAAF and IGAPS (General Inspectors
providing support to staff and facilities) and the heads of SRAL
(Regional Food Services)/SALIM;
• monthly meetings of the Chief Veterinary Officers (CVO) and
Chief Plant Health Officers (COPHS) in the European Union;
• Standing Committees on plants, animals, animal foodstuffs and animal feed (ScoPAFF).
• periodic seminars for technical staff.
17
Meeting at the DGAL with consumer
associations.
23
Report by the French MP Dominique
Potier on “Pesticides and agro-ecology” regarding a new version of the
Écophyto plan submitted to the Prime
Minister.
21
ANIMAL HEALTH
& PROTECTION
FAITS MARQUANTS
Traceability, animal diseases, animal
welfare, epidemiological monitoring,
veterinary pharmacy, and more.
22
Cattle movements:
better traceability
and simplification
of the system
A framework agreement was signed on 27 February 2014 by the French Ministry
of Agriculture, Agro-Food and Forestry with professional organisations in the cattle-farming sector. The three-year agreement relates to a project to digitise the
documentation required for cattle movements in France, which will make the system both simpler and more reliable.
T
he digitisation project is designed to
allow those involved in the sector to
connect directly to a centralised information system to check that an animal
can be moved in accordance with the regulations. A passport (showing identity, place
of birth, blood lines, etc.) and a health certificate confirming that the animals come
from a herd that is free from contagious
diseases are currently required to ensure
the traceability of over 30 million cattle movements within France. The future
scheme will be both simpler and more
reliable, as well as less expensive to run
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for both the administrative authorities and
the sector.
The cost of the project in its pilot phase
is €1.5 million, 80% of which will be funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and the
remainder by the National Livestock Farming Confederation (CNE), Interbev (National Interprofessional Association for Livestock and Meat), the APCA (Permanent
Assembly of Chambers of Agriculture)
and the CNIEL (National Interprofessional
Centre for the Dairy Sector).
23
Horse trading
Cross-border trade
Simplification
of certification between
Belgium, Luxembourg
and France
FAITS MARQUANTS
Jean-Luc Angot, Deputy Director General of the DGAL and Chief Veterinary Officer
(CVO) signed an agreement on cross-border trade in animals reared for meat with
his counterparts in Luxembourg and Belgium on 29 September 2014.
24
T
he protocol aims to simplify certification procedures for the trade
in animals intended for immediate
slaughter, by substituting the traditional
European health certificate with a statement issued by a veterinary surgeon,
which provides the main health information. The favourable epidemiological situation, which is comparable in Belgium,
Luxembourg and France, has made it
possible to simplify the system.
The initiative is part of a trial of regulatory changes expected in future animal health legislation within the European Union, which will
be adopted in 2015. This is the first
initiative of its kind between three
bordering member states and heralds
possible changes at a European level.
Discussions are underway with Italy
and Spain.
Agreement
between
the United
Kingdom,
Ireland and
France
The new provisions of the tripartite
agreement (TPA) between the United
Kingdom, Ireland and France on trading
horses between the three countries
came into effect on 18 June.
F
rom then onwards, horses moving
between these countries must have
either an intra-community health
certificate or a DOCOM commercial document (valid only for race horses, breeding stock and high health-status sport
horses). If they are not eligible under the
conditions of the agreement, they must
be accompanied by either a health declaration or health certificate. The new provisions aim to consolidate the traceability of horses to anticipate any health
problems whilst ensuring the fluidity of
movements needed for organising competitions.
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri
Identification
of
Llama
Animal health law:
progress to date
The DGAL is participating in the development of the European animal health law.
A draft was submitted to the European Council and Parliament by the Commission
in May 2013. The aim was to develop a single piece of legislation that pays more
attention to prevention and simplifies trade-related constraints.
T
he draft was examined in the Council
by a group of veterinary experts involving representatives of the 28 Member
States at around 20 two-day sessions. A text
was agreed upon and adopted in December
2014. The European Parliament had adopted
a final report of the first reading on 15 April
2014, comprising 330 amendments relating
primarily to taking more account of animal
welfare and biodiversity. The new European
regulation could be finally adopted during
the first half of 2015. It would not come into
effect until 2020, however, to allow time to
produce the 100 or so pieces of implementing legislation it will require. In addition to
the general satisfaction of a text that was
greatly improved by the debates in the
Council, France, which played a leading role
in the discussions, is particularly pleased by
the following progress:
• clarifications in relation to biosecurity
(article 9)
• the arrangements for establishing lists
and categories of disease (articles 5
and 8)
• more flexible regulations on assembly
centres
• the inclusion of non-commercial movements of domestic pets
• the establishment of an initial program
of priorities for producing the implementing legislation (with guarantees
on deadlines for transposition into national legislation)
camelids
Supported by members of the French
parliament, article 41 of the new Agriculture Act adopted on 13 October 2014 is
designed to make it obligatory to identify
camelids (camels and llamas) in France
and to register their owners. Between
5,000 and 10,000 animals are affected.
Until now, identifying them was optional
and as a result, not very reliable.
C
amelids are prone to carrying statutory diseases such as tuberculosis or
brucellosis. It is important to have
a clear understanding of the sector because of their proximity to other farm
animals. The plan is to implement a compulsory declaration scheme for camelid
owners and to identify camelids by implanting either a transponder or two ear-rings
(one with an electronic identity tag) in order to ensure better health monitoring.
The task of managing camelid identification has been entrusted to the French
Horse and Horse Riding Institute (IFCE)
which runs the SIRE database and which,
as the body responsible for identifying
horses, is already familiar with issues
such as ordering transponders or ear tags,
printing identity and ownership cards and
working with identifying veterinary surgeons. A draft decree and draft order are
currently being produced and should be
published during 2015.
25
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Foot-and-mouth
disease and African
swine fever
Raising
awareness
among
travellers
World Equestrian Games 2014. Warm-up area. Show-jumping.
World Equestrian Games
(23 August – 7 September)
Safeguarding health
FAITS MARQUANTS
The DGAL and decentralised services in Normandy worked for two years on a
scheme to safeguard health and ensure that the international sporting event
ran smoothly. The aim was to avoid diseases circulating between horses from
72 countries with different health situations and the sizeable herd in Normandy.
26
T
he World Equestrian Games welcomed around 1,100 “competition”
and 500 “entertainment” horses,
including the Republican Guard, Moroccan
Royal Guard and horses drawing carriages.
The scheme put in place had three main
components: guaranteeing that horses
were “healthy” upon arrival, defining a demanding and effective biosecurity plan to
avoid contamination at sites, and detect
and manage any diseases, and ensuring
increased traceability. A total of 50 staff
from the DDPP (Departmental Directorates of Public Protection) of the départements concerned (Calvados, Manche
and Orne), the DRAAF Basse Normandie
and the DGAL, all of whom were closely
involved, monitored health conditions
throughout the 15-day competition. All
horses were inspected upon arrival and
six were placed in quarantine for non-compliance. In total, 571 health certificates
were issued to animals that had to travel
back to another country.
An information campaign was instigated by the DGAL in September 2014,
in conjunction with the customs and
civil aviation departments, to remind
travellers that bringing animals and
products of animal origin back into the
European Union is prohibited.
P
eople who have visited a livestock
farm during their stay must make
sure they clean and disinfect their
shoes thoroughly at the end of their visit.
Clothing and shoes used in these countries must be cleaned on their return
before visiting any animals that might be
sensitive to the diseases concerned. Biosecurity measures at international meetings in France have been strengthened.
The European Union has been free
from foot-and-mouth disease since
2007, unlike numerous countries in various parts of the world in Asia, Africa and
the Middle East. Among countries that are
geographically close to Europe and currently affected by the disease are Egypt,
Turkey, Tunisia and Algeria.
International coordination
for greater vigilance
People travelling from and to North Africa were asked to be especially vigilant
in the run-up to the Aïd-el-Kébir festival.
Although foot-and-mouth disease is
not dangerous to humans, it is highly
contagious and can cause severe
losses on farms. African swine fever
does not represent a threat to human
health either. Nonetheless, it is a highly
contagious viral disease that affects
pigs, African hogs (warthogs and red-river
hogs) and European and American boars.
Until recently, African swine fever, which
is endemic in the sub-Saharan region and
Madagascar, was only present in Europe
in Sardinia. It reached eastern Europe
(Ukraine and Byelorussia) in 2012 and
spread to Poland and Lithuania in January
2014, and to Latvia in June 2014. People
who travel to an area affected by either
disease must take certain precautions so
as not to risk bringing the disease back to
Europe and transmitting it to herds.
There were several discussions with other countries about health risks to ensure
international coordination in 2014, for example with Italy, on African swine fever
and bluetongue disease, or with countries around the Mediterranean , on footand-mouth disease in the context of the Mediterranean Animal Health Network
(REMESA), which has around ten member countries (see key event page 73).
Meeting between France
and Italy on animal health
T
he DGAL organised a bilateral meeting between France and Italy in
May 2014 so that the central and
local authorities in both countries could
discuss surveillance and management of
animal diseases in Corsica and Sardinia.
The geographical proximity of the two
islands, which lie 14 km apart, and the
high level of commercial trade between
them create a strong epidemiological
link. This facilitates the movement of diseases from one island to the other, as
illustrated by the introduction of serotype
1 of the bluetongue disease virus into
southern Corsica from Sardinia in September 2013.
The meeting was held on 6 May at the
prefecture in Ajaccio, in the presence of
representatives from the DGAL, the Corsican authorities (DRAAF and DD(CS)PP), a
representative from the Italian Directorate
General for animal health and veterinary
pharmacy, two representatives from the
veterinary authorities in Sardinia and an
expert in bluetongue disease from the
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (the
Italian equivalent of ANSES).
The meeting provided an opportunity to
update the health situation of both islands with regard to bluetongue disease
and African swine fever. It was agreed to
establish a protocol for exchanging specific information on health issues related
to Corsica and Sardinia, and to continue
discussions on harmonizing surveillance
methods and ways of combating animal
and plant diseases on both islands.
27
Cattle
health
inspections
Cattle health inspections are intended
to raise awareness of health risks
amongst farmers; since 2014 they
have been carried out annually rather
than every two years. The theme of
inspections in 2014 was on declaring
abortions in order to improve the process.
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rinary medical interventions, paid to the
veterinary surgeon named by the farmer.
Health inspections have been introduced in the poultry sector and are set
to be deployed in the pig-farming sector
in 2015.
FAITS MARQUANTS
T
he aim of monitoring abortions in
cattle is to ensure swift detection of a
potential reappearance of brucellosis
but it can also detect other diseases such as
neosporosis, Q fever and BVD. Nonetheless,
just one farmer in four is thought to declare
abortions in their herd.
The farms targeted were those with at
least five adult females, making around
160,000 farms to visit. The completion
rate for the 2014 campaign was 80%.
28
Each cattle health inspection is funded by
the state up to the amount of four vete-
Health requirements and managing threats
In 2014, the DD(CS)PP placed 2,441 farms under surveillance as a result of suspected first- or second-category health threats. In all, 380 required improvement. Particular attention is paid to the speed with which suspected threats are treated: 78%
were treated within less than 60 days for tuberculosis and 63% in less than 30 days
for other threats (influenza, brucellosis, salmonellosis, etc.)
Domestic pets
Animal exposure
to antibiotics
The lowest level
in 15 years
The very encouraging results of the Écoantibio Plan in 2014 reflect the determination of the actors involved, and the veterinary and livestock farming sectors in
particular, to reduce the use of antibiotics.
T
his is illustrated by the 2013 report
of sales of antibiotics in veterinary medicine produced by ANSES,
which confirms the downward trend seen
since 2007. For the first time, animal exposure to antibiotics is 5.5% lower than
it was in 1999, when monitoring of the
sales of antibiotics in livestock farming
was introduced. The downward trend
accelerated in 2012 and 2013, the first
years of implementation of the national
Écoantibio plan: in these two years alone,
the decline in animal exposure to antibiotics was 12.7% lower in 2013 compared
with 2011. At the European level, France
is just below the European average in
terms of consumption of veterinary antibiotics. French livestock farmers expose
their animals to fewer antibiotics than in
Italy, Spain or Germany. In the last three
years, France has been ranked behind the
Netherlands as the second-best European
country in terms of efforts to reduce the
consumption of veterinary antibiotics.
Although the figures are good, further
progress is still required to address the
variations between sectors and families of
antibiotics.
Stronger
regulations
New obligations were introduced in
2014 on activities related to domestic
species of pet animals. The order of 3
April 2014 laid out the health and animal welfare regulations that such activities must meet.
The new rules provide, amongst other
things, for:
•the appointment of a veterinary surgeon for each facility,
•two compulsory inspections a year
by the veterinary surgeon (with the
possibility of an exemption of one
inspection per year for small facilities
or pet shops without any domestic
carnivores),
•a set of health regulations for each
facility (produced in consultation
with the veterinary surgeon and to be
presented during inspections),
•capacity building for professionals,
including setting targets for looking
after animals and compulsory completion of self-assessments.
29
FAITS MARQUANTS
Producing the order involved an extensive
consultation process over three years
between the administrative authorities,
organisations representing activities related to domestic species of pet animals
and the DD(CS)PP inspectors. The test
is therefore the result of a consensus
between the various actors involved in the
sector and is based on the principle of the
“new approach”, which is geared more
towards achieving specific objectives than
simply allocating resources. This is a new
development in the area of protecting domestic pets.
30
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Professional organisations are being encouraged to produce good practice guides
for professionals in each type of activity.
The aim of the guides is to describe how
to meet the objectives set out in the order.
The intention is for them to be validated by
the French Ministry of Agriculture.
Group farming of gestating sows
Full compliance
with European standards
France has been involved in pre-litigation proceedings with the European Commission regarding the compliance of buildings to house gestating sows, which
have had to be kept in groups since 1 January 2013. The proceedings are now
over and full compliance has been achieved.
B
etween January 2013 and June
2014, over 4,700 inspections
were carried out on farms to
ensure compliance with European requirements and thus achieve a 100%
compliance rate. Farrowing was suspended by the administrative authorities on almost 70 farms because their
gestating sows were still being kept
in individual stalls. In early July 2014,
the French authorities assured the
European Commission that all of the
5,416 farms still involved in farrowing
activities were now compliant with European requirements.
Veterinary inspection at an abattoir. Recommendations from a veterinary inspector to the quality, safety and hygiene manager.
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Veterinary services at abattoirs worked hard in 2014 to ensure animals are
well treated and have done so since the entry into effect of Regulation (EC) no.
1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.
O
ver 900 exhaustive inspections
have been carried out in order
to monitor implementation,
on the one hand, of the methods laid
down by the legislation in terms of immobilisation and stunning and on the
other, the effectiveness of facilities’
procedures and self-assessments in
terms of proper treatment. Over 3,000
operators have been trained in animal
welfare, entitling them after they have
been assessed, to receive a certificate
of competence in slaughtering animals.
Finally, at the French government’s instigation, cattle abattoir professionals
have produced a guide to good practice
to define the methods that should be
used in practice to avoid any avoidable
pain, distress or suffering when animals are being slaughtered. Work on
other species of productive livestock
carried out in 2014 should be completed in 2015.
31
FAITS MARQUANTS
PLANT HEALTH
AND PROTECTION
32
Biological monitoring throughout the country,
the Écophyto Plan, seeds and sustainable agriculture
plan, plant protection and quality, combating harmful
organisms, and more.
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Forum on biological
control, the way forward
for a new way of producing
On 22 April 2014 Minister Stéphane Le Foll met actors in the biological control
sector (businesses, professional farmers’ organisations, members of parliament,
associations, etc.) to identify development drivers for the sector and to promote
the use of biological control products in agriculture.
S
upport mechanisms will be required to achieve this. The minister
invited forum participants to make
themselves spokespeople for biological
control and develop and disseminate it
widely so that it becomes a building block
for sustainable agriculture and healthy,
diverse food. Around 250 people, representing over 120 businesses, took part in
the forum.
Following on from the biological control
forum, several tangible actions were
taken, led by the DGAL:
•selection and funding of 18 research
projects by the Écophyto Plan,
•a large-scale trial of the use of biological control products on field crops,
•funding of a study to produce seven
“basic substances” files to be submitted to the European authorities
for approval,
•a quarter of new products authorised since April 2014 are biological
controls.
To find out more:
http://agriculture.gouv.fr/Biocontrole
What do we mean
by “biological control”?
The term covers various natural plant
protection techniques using microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.),
natural substances (such as nettle
spray and algae), chemical mediators
(pheromones) and macroorganisms
(such as predatory insects).
Using alternatives of this kind contributes to reducing risks for human
health and the environment.
It is also a sector with potential for the
future in France, which could develop
in the next few years to secure a 15%
share of the market for plant protection
products.
33
– Illustration : Quentin Guillaume
Réalisation :
DES PHYTOS HORS-LA-LOI,
CE N’EST PAS POUR MOI
Importations illégales, contrefaçons, produits non autorisés,
produits chimiques non identifiés...
Les phytos hors-la-loi constituent une menace pour votre santé et
celle des consommateurs, pour l’environnement, mais aussi pour votre activité.
Combating the illegal trade
in phytopharmaceutical
products
Vous êtes un professionnel ? Sécurisez vos achats de produits phytosanitaires :
Appelez le 0805 532 532
(appel gratuit)
Contactez votre
distributeur agréé
An initiative was begun in 2013 as part of the Écophyto Plan to establish an
action plan to combat the illegal trade in plant health products and imports of
non-identified chemical products.
FAITS MARQUANTS
F
34
raud, illegal trade and counterfeit
phytopharmaceutical products are
thought to represent around 3% of
the market in the United Kingdom, 4%
in Italy and 6% in Germany, Spain and
France. The figure in France is thought
to be as high as 20% in cross-border
areas (Coceral estimates 2013). Combating illegal practices of this kind is a
challenge for the economy of the sector
but also for the health of professionals
and consumers, as well as for protecting
the environment. The campaign, which
has received €124,000 of funding, was
launched on 20 May2014 and has two
main components:
•distribution of a leaflet (10,000
copies) and information posters featuring the campaign slogan “Illegal
plant protection products are not for
me”; the campaign has been communicated in the regional and specialist
press, amongst others, and on the
French Ministry of Agriculture website; the website www.info-phytos.
fr has also been set up and has received over 10,000 visits
•creation of a telephone information service for professionals (Toll
free number 0805 532 532). The
campaign will continue and expand
in 2015.
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
Rendez-vous sur :
www.info-phytos.fr
Rare pear trees
Plant health products
Marketing authorisation
decisions transferred to ANSES
The Future of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Act (LAAAF) of 13 October 2014 provides for marketing authorisation decisions
on phytopharmaceutical products, fertilising materials and growing media to be transferred to ANSES.
C
urrently, the Ministry of Agriculture
approves, changes or withdraws
marketing authorisations for these
products, based on the assessment opinions issued by ANSES, representing almost 2,000 individual decisions a year. It
is important to remember that these active
substances are permitted within the European Union. Products containing active
substances are subject to national evaluation and authorisation. The DGAL and
ANSES have been working closely together
since 2014 to prepare for the various aspects of the simplification measure,
which will come into effect on 1 July
2015. The new Act also defines a mechanism to monitor the undesirable effects of
phytopharmaceutical products on humans,
farm animals (including domestic bees),
cultivated plants, biodiversity, wildlife, water and soil, air quality and good, as well as
the appearance of resistance to these kinds
of product. The monitoring mechanism,
known as phyto-pharmacovigilance, will be
implemented within the Agency to help the
public authorities to make informed decisions.
35
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Aerial spraying
New legislation
FAITS MARQUANTS
A new order, published on 19 September 2014, lays down strict conditions for
granting exemption to the prohibition on aerial spraying of plant health products,
with the aim of developing alternative methods and reducing the use of aerial
treatment.
36
T
he order repeals the previous provisions, set forth in the order of 23
December 2013, and strengthens
the requirements with the aim of improving protection for people and the environment.
On 6 May 2014, the Conseil d’Etat suspended implementation of the order of
December 2013 following a request from
environmental organisations in Guadeloupe. The new order, which repeals its
predecessor, sets forth strict conditions
for granting exemptions to support the
end of aerial treatments on 31 December
2015. Areas treated using aerial spraying
were reduced by 77% between 2008 and
2013 for the four main sectors involved
(vine, banana trees, rice and oak).
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
“Seeds and
sustainable
agriculture”
plan
Review and update
The plenary committee of the Standing
Committee on Cultivated Plant Selection (CTPS) met on 13 November 2014,
chaired by Patrick Dehaumont, Director General of the DGAL. The meeting
provided an opportunity to identify the
challenges faced over the next few years.
Xylella fastidiosa
The French authorities seek stronger European
measures
I
n light of the pest risk analysis published by the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) on 6 January 2015,
France has asked the European Commission to strengthen the requirements in
relation to the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa
without delay. As a result, France has requested the introduction of containment
measures within the European Union on
plants (namely, a ban on removal from
the demarcation area in Italy) and on the
dispersal of insects that transmit the bacterium. At the same time, the European
Commission has been asked to impose
a total ban on imports from contaminated third countries of material used
for planting.
The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is transmitted and dispersed by insect vectors.
It can affect over 200 plant species and
has attacked Californian vineyards and citrus fruit in Brazil, among others. It is not
found in France. Following its discovery
in Europe for the first time, in Italy in late
2013, the Commission imposed European
measures in 2014 to prevent both further
introductions and the spread of the bacterium across the European Union. The
producers concerned have been invited
by the Ministry of Agriculture and specifically, the DGAL, to play an active role in
phytosanitary protection of their crops by
avoiding sourcing plants from areas where
the plant health risk is highest.
O
perational implementation of a large
number of actions in the Plan was
discussed, along with the actions
to be taken on the basis of a cross-cutting
approach and a medium/long-term point of
view. The discussions focused, in particular,
on continued actions to improve the environmental value of varieties, contributing to
preserving genetic resources and identifying
key communications and promotional activities. In France, every variety is listed on
the basis of a decision by the Ministry of
Agriculture; over 600 new varieties are
added to the catalogue each year. The
Ministry bases its decisions on the opinions
of the CTPS. This is a consultative committee, which brings together all partners
in the varieties and seeds sector, along with
representatives from consumer groups and
environmental organisations. The CTPS was
reappointed for five years and will be chaired
by Alain Moulinier from the CGAAER (General Council for Food, Agriculture and Rural
Areas), who will replace Paul Vialle.
37
Forest health
European plant health
regulation
Progress of negotiations
In 2013, the European Commission put forward a draft regulation to update the
rules on plant health protection. The main objectives are to consolidate what has
been achieved in health, prioritise public action and increase operators’ level of
responsibility. Negotiations are currently underway and will conclude by the end
of 2016 at the earliest and come into effect by 2020. Thanks to the discussions
conducted as part of the national debate on health, France has been able to put
forward its ideas on categorising health dangers and producing emergency plans.
FAITS MARQUANTS
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mongst other things, there are
plans to draw up a list of priority-regulated harmful organisms
on the basis of criteria defined in the regulation. Emergency plans are also to be developed, to prepare for the appearance of
particularly dangerous organisms. These
provisions could apply from 2019 and
further strengthen the recent changes in
French regulations. One of the two major issues in the legislation concerns the
measures applied to inspections of plants
imported into the European Union. Several options are currently being discussed,
from the status quo to the introduction
of a preventive import strategy, which is
supported by the French authorities in
particular. Preventing the introduction of
organisms that are harmful to plants into
Europe is essential. This contributes to
ensuring safer agricultural produce, less
use of plant health products and agriculture that is more respectful of our environment; as a result, it is a factor in performance and competitiveness for European
plant production, particularly on the export market. The regulation currently under discussion is intended to last for 20 to
30 years: detailed reflection is critical to
making the right decisions that will enable
the European Union to maintain its plant
health status and, as a result, protect its
economic interests. Prevention is better
than cure in plant health too!
Overall, 2014 was a good year for forest health, despite a number of problems in the landscape. The launch
of the web-based application Ephytia
Forests will make it easier to identify
forest health problems, using health
data sheets.
Main health problems identified
•Browning of Douglas firs, which
kills trees in plantations 5 to 10
years old. Extensive browning jeopardises the future of affected plantations. The Puy-de-Dôme, Allier and
Loire areas were severely affected by
this phenomenon in 2014. A special
survey was conducted in around 40
plantations in the area to gain a better understanding of the problem and
to identify its causes.
•Red-band disease mainly affects
the Corsican pine. The disease
emerged in the 1990s as the species was extended to more plantations and poses real management
problems. The recurrence and regularity of these events suggests a
limited future for the Corsican pine.
The DGAL’s Forest Health Department (DSF) has launched a six-year
collaborative plot observation project with the ONF, CNPF (National
Forestry Ownership Centre) and
IRSTEA (National Research Institute
of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture) to address
Pôle santé des forêts Nord-Ouest
Red-band disease North-West
MaladieForest
des bandes
health rouges
centre
questions from forest managers.
•Chalara ash dieback, another
emerging disease that arrived in
France in 2007, is being monitored
in two ways, first for distribution
and secondly for impact. Chalara
continued to spread in 2014; it now
affects 53 départements in the north
of the country, in a line from MontSaint-Michel to Gap.
Ephytia Forests
Ephytia is a web-based application developed by INRA in Bordeaux, which provides
information on recognising and diagnosing health problems. Almost 200 health
data sheets on the main problems encountered in the last 25 years have been published online – including insects, diseases,
fungi and regulated organisms – with
details of their biology, the damage they
cause, and their symptoms, with around
700 photos to help identify them. A second
stage will use the data sheets to introduce
a diagnostic system. The DSF has been
working with the Swiss canton of Jura as
part of its partnerships with other European countries. Discussions with the WSL
(Federal Institute of Research on Forests,
Snow and Landscape) have focused on
outbreaks of the Asian long-horned beetle
(Anoplophora glabripennis), which has been
found in three outbreaks in Switzerland and
four in France (Gien, Corsica, Strasbourg
and Saint-Anne-sur-Brivet). The DSF has
also visited the Spanish Basque country
to observe the problems with Pitch canker
(Fusarium circinatum, a regulated organism). Around 6,000 ha of radiata pines are
affected in Cantabria and Galicia, on the
French border.
Forest health in 2014
involved 2,000 plots of
trees inspected, 2,000 quadrats
of 16 km2 covered, 1 300
identifications of regulated organisms,
3 700 observations of plantations
with a health problem and 300
different problems identified. In total,
around 10 000 forest observations!
The DGAL’s Forest
Health Department
celebrated its 25th
anniversary in 2014.
To mark the occasion, the DSF’s
contacts and observers shared their
experiences on the Ministry’s website,
providing an opportunity to find out
more about their roles and activities,
including surveillance planning, health
expertise, crisis management and giving advice. All of the DSF’s publications since 1989, i.e. almost 750 items,
have been made available to the general public and partners via the website
agriculture.gouv.fr/sante-des-forets.
39
SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY
FOOD FOR EVERYONE
Food safety, inspections, improvements to supply,
help for the most vulnerable, combating food waste,
local links, education and training, high-quality
products, accessibility, diversity of regional
produce, and more.
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Paris International Agricultural Show. Food collection by the Red Cross.
Social justice
Mobilising efforts
for food aid
Thanks to significant efforts by the French government and charitable associations,
the overall budget available for food aid has been maintained.
F
unding for the FEAD* has been
maintained at the level of the MDP
for the period 2014-2020 (€3.8
billion). The share allocated to France
is €500 million for the whole period, or
approximately €70 million a year. The
French operational programme to implement the FEAD at the national level
was approved by the European Commission on 31 July 2014. France was
the first Member State to have its programme approved. The reform of the
French food aid system, begun in 2010
via the Agriculture and Fishing Modernisation Act, has introduced an accreditation obligation for legal entities
under private law that wish to receive
contributions aimed at implementing
food aid. The aim of the provisions is
to clarify the system for allocating public resources, whether these are finan-
cial or contributions in kind. Eighteen
network leaders were accredited nationally between 2013 and 2014. The
accreditation process, jointly managed
by the DGAL and DGCS, was rolled out
to the regions in 2014 by introducing
local accreditations aimed at local associations.
To find out more: http://agriculture.gouv.
fr/Habilitation-associations-caritatives
*On 1 January 2014, the Food Distribution Programme
for the Most Deprived Persons (MDP) was replaced
by the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived
(FEAD); as the mechanism is now governed by cohesion policy rather than the Common Agricultural Policy,
Improving
food product
quality
The “ingredient quality” pact, launched
in February 2014, has resulted primarily in the recognition of the collective
agreement with the artisanal bakery sector, which has agreed to reduce the salt
content of its loaves. The agreement also
includes a sustainable development section. Two other collective agreements
were recognised in 2014, one with Herta
and the other with the cold non-alcoholic
beverages sector.
the body appointed to manage it in France is the
Directorate General for Social Cohesion (DGCS).
The DGAL continues to provide technical expertise.
To find out more: http://alimentation.gouv.
fr/accords-collectifs
41
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
Educating
young people
about food
Discussions with
an American delegation
Food aid and combating waste “Le jardin de cocagne” collects fresh fruit and vegetables from
wholesalers at the Val de Loire national market. Sorting and cutting carrot tops for food
solidarity bags by workers on a social integration programme.
Combating food waste
FAITS MARQUANTS
The National Day to Combat Food Waste on 16 October 2014 provided an opportunity to review the progress of various key players’ commitments.
42
T
he Minister for Agriculture, Food and
Forestry, Stéphane Le Foll, awarded
eight “anti-waste” prizes to the winners from eight categories of committed
stakeholders. The National Pact to Combat Food Waste, a commitment by various
key players in the food chain to halve food
waste by 2025, was launched in 14 June
2013. A committee has been appointed to
monitor the pact, evaluate it and track the
progress made between now and 2025.
The French Prime Minister has appointed
Guillaume Garot to work with Ecology Minister Ségolène Royal and Stéphane Le
Foll with the aim of removing the barriers
that continue to exist throughout the food
chain, putting forward recommendations
for legislation and regulations, enshrining
these recommendations in a European
and global framework and promoting good
practices currently in place.
In October 2014, the DGAL welcomed
a delegation of representatives from
the cities of New York, Chicago, Dallas
and Miami, who were keen to understand more about one of the key determinants of the French food model,
namely educating our children about
taste, pleasure, diversity and a balanced diet.
T
hree emblematic schemes from the
National Food Programme (PNA) on
educating young people about food
were presented as an illustration of the actions taken in schools at different “times”:
the “Fruit at recess” programme, about giving children fruit outside meal times, the
“taste education” classes for children in
primary school which address multidisciplinary topics associated with food at school,
and the “Fun in the canteen” programme to
promote meal-time in schools.
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
National Food
Programme 2014
Call for
projects
launched
On 7 October 2014, the DGAL launched
a national call for projects for the National Food Programme.
Organic market gardening. Preparing young organic leek plants before transplanting.
Institutional food services
Developing local,
high-quality sourcing
W
ith a budget allocation of
€600,000, the call for projects
aims to support large-scale,
replicable projects that are aligned with
the four priorities of the new food policy outlined in the Future of Agriculture,
Food and Forestry Act. The winning projects were announced by the Minister at
the Paris International Agricultural Show
in February 2015.
This objective meets a strong expectation among French people, who want to
know where their food comes from and how it has been produced.
i
t is also a way of providing an outlet
for local agricultural production and as
a result, organising supply and driving
local economic dynamism. Establishing local roots and promoting heritage together
constitute one of the four food public-policy priorities presented by Stéphane Le Foll
to the French Cabinet on 8 October 2014.
In relation to this, the Minister presented
a practical guide at a press conference in
early 2014, detailing the legal mechanisms
available to facilitate local, high-quality
sourcing in institutional food services.
Work will continue in 2015, with the publication of another guide, aimed at facilitating the introduction of collective sourcing platforms as a solution for organising
supply. The guide is the result of working
groups launched in March 2014 and run by
the Ministry.
To find out more: http://agriculture.gouv.
fr/approvisionnement-local-restaurationcollective
43
Food aid and combating waste “Le jardin de cocagne” collects fresh fruit and vegetables from wholesalers at the Val de Loire national market.
Preparing leeks for food solidarity bags by workers on a social insertion programme.
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Making food donations
easier
FAITS MARQUANTS
As part of efforts to combat food waste, the food safety regulatory framework for
gifts to charitable associations has been clarified.
44
A
new order of 24 September 2014,
amending the order of 2006,
extends the scope of exemption
for health authorisation. In the case of
donations to charitable associations,
it removes the restrictions related to
the maximum permitted distances and
quantities when the authorisation is implemented.
This should help promote food donations as well as short food supply chains.
Canteens, for example (excluding authorised
central kitchens), will find it easier to source
their supplies from butchers and caterers in
rural communities, because of the increase
in permitted quantities eligible for exemption.
A memorandum on the legislative and
regulatory framework applicable in respect of food safety, donations made by businesses in the food sector and definitions
of ownership and responsibility in relation to
operations of this kind was published in the
Official Gazette.
Finally, the exemption scheme has
been extended to products that were
not previously eligible for inclusion:
preparations based on eggs “in their
shells” and/or treated raw milk (other
than cheese and other processed dairy
products, which were already permitted)
have now been included so that they can
be delivered on the basis of an exemption from health authorisation.
Results of official
inspections soon
to be published
A food-hygiene inspector from the DDPP
carrying out a health inspection in the
seafood section of the national market (MIN)
in Rungis. Checking the freshness of a
red-label Scottish salmon.
Since October 2014, the DGAL conducts a study for the Ministry on defining the
terms of publishing inspection reports transparently and adapting them appropriately to the needs of consumers and professionals. Meetings with stakeholders
(consumers’ associations and trade federations) have begun. A test phase will be
implemented in 2015.
Inspections of this kind are designed
to promote stakeholders’ (operators
and consumers) confidence in the compliance of products on the market. Inspections are used to detect discrepancies, identify non-compliances and take
the necessary measures, but also to inform stakeholders of the actions taken
by the inspection authorities and results
achieved. The Future of Agriculture, Food
and Forestry Act (LAAAF) of 13 October
2014 provides for publication of the
results of official inspections carried out for food-safety purposes at
food-processing facilities, including
retail shops.
Publication of the results of official inspections is part of a move towards
greater transparency about the activities of the administrative authorities
in general and inspection organisations
in particular. This is a legitimate consumer expectation and will help to re-establish confidence in the food sector.
A trial in commercial catering outlets will
begin in July 2015.
The scheme will start to be implemented
throughout the food chain in 2016.
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
E
uropean regulations in the food
sector are asking competent authorities in the Member States
to conduct their activities with a high
level of transparency and therefore
make relevant information they hold
accessible to the public as quickly
as possible. The official food-safety
inspections carried out by DGAL staff
throughout the food chain result in the
issuance of an inspection report,
which among other things, contains an
overall assessment by the inspector of
the level of compliance achieved by the
organisation inspected.
45
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The Food Observatory:
a valuable tool
FAITS MARQUANTS
The aim of the Food Observatory, created by the Agriculture and Fishing Modernisation Act of July 2010, is to provide information for economic actors and the
public authorities on changes in food supply and consumption. It consists of three
sections, as described below.
A nutrition section:
an innovative tool for
monitoring the nutritional
quality of food supplies
The nutrition section (Oqali) of the French
Food Observatory aims to monitor changes
in the nutritional quality of food products
processed on the French market.
46
This is the oldest section of the Observatory and was created in 2008, on the
basis of professional voluntary participation. It is run by ANSES and the INRA.
The data available to Oqali now cover 25
of the 27 industrial sectors representing
over 80% of the processed food products
supply.
An initial study of almost all sectors has
now been carried out to establish a baseline, with nine sectors undergoing a
follow-up study.
The health section:
supporting transparency
The health section is an innovative project at a national and European level: it
ensures access, outside of crisis situations, to a monitoring system for providing objective information and monitoring the health quality of foods produced
and marketed in France. The system is
based on indicators developed from public- or private-sector monitoring data
relating to microbiological and chemical
contamination of food products at different stages of the food chain. ANSES was
commissioned by the DGAL to carry out
a prototyping study between 2011 and
2013. As part of the study, a cooperative
project was carried out between the administrative authorities, food-processing
professionals, consumer associations
and ANSES in order to develop a methodology and identify hindrances and drivers for each party. An implementation
stage is underway until June 2015, to demonstrate the added value of the scheme
in partnership with five areas covering
the whole of the food chain, from animal
feed to distribution to the consumer. An
impact study of communications about
the scheme was carried out in 2014. It
will also help to assess the type and format of food safety information that might
be communicated to the general public.
A socioeconomic section
A bibliographical review was carried out in 2013 on sustainable food
consumption and practices. This
confirmed the complexity of the subject,
given that sustainability incorporates
several dimensions such as place of production and packaging.
Two studies for the Ministry were completed in 2014:
•“Innovation levers that contribute to limiting food waste: an
assessment of consumer perceptions and the economic impact of
their implementation in the food
industry.” The study, which was
co-financed by the French Ministry
of Agriculture and the Ministry for Industrial Recovery, was presented on
21 November 2014, followed by testimonials from four professionals who
came to share their experiences.
• “Social inequalities and food: what
are the food-related needs and
expectations of people suffering
from food insecurity and how can
food assistance programmes be
adapted to respond to them as
effectively as possible?” The study
was co-financed by the French Ministry
of Agriculture and FranceAgriMer.
“Official
controls”
regulation
Progress to date
The DGAL is contributing to the review of the European regulation on
“Official controls and other official
activities”. The aim is to improve the
current provisions by expanding them
to animal health, plant health and
controls on seeds and plants.
A
draft was examined in the Council by a group of veterinary experts involving representatives
of the 28 Member States and the Commission at around 18 two-day sessions
in 2014. Discussions are continuing in
2015. The European Parliament had
adopted a final report of the first reading on 15 April 2014, comprising 313
amendments. The European regulation could be adopted in late 2015 or
in 2016, and come into effect based
on a staggered timetable. It will strengthen quality requirements for all key
actors in the food chain in relation to
controls by official authorities in the 28
Member States. The aim is to ensure
a consistent level of consumer safety
and fair treatment of all professionals
undergoing controls in all European
Union countries.
47
In 2014, 53 cases were
referred to ANSES by the DGAL,
with 20 related to plant health,
27 to animal health
and 6 to food.
ANSES Expertise and health-risk
assessment
The role of ANSES is to assess health risks related to food, the environment and work. One of its main activities in 2014
was preparing to transfer the issue of marketing authorisations for phytopharmaceutical products from the DGAL to ANSES.
FAITS MARQUANTS
T
48
he agency is unusual insofar as it
is placed under the supervision of
five bodies, namely the Ministry
of Agriculture (Directorate General for
Food), Consumer Affairs (Directorate
General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Combating Fraud), Environment
(Directorate General for Risk Prevention),
Health (Directorate General for Health)
and Employment (Directorate General for
Employment). In 2013, the government
requested that the frequency of the rotating chairmanship shared by the five
ministries be extended to a year rather
than six months, to improve the stability
of the management structure.
On 1 January 2014, the DGAL, representing the French Ministry of Agriculture,
took over the chair for the first one-year
term. Amongst other things, it has organised and run meetings between the
five Directors General of the ministries
concerned and the Director General of
ANSES, liaison committees (the more
technical equivalent of the meeting of the
five Directors General), and pre-Board
meetings (preparatory to the Agency’s
four annual board meetings). One of its
main activities in 2014 was preparing to
transfer the issue of marketing authorisations for phytopharmaceutical products
and fertilising materials from the DGAL
to ANSES on 1 July 2015, and the implementation of a phyto-pharmacovigilance
scheme. The adoption of the Future of
Agriculture, Food and Forestry Act on 13
October 2014 now paves the way for the
transfer of new responsibilities in practice by mid-2015. Several opinions and
reports relevant to the DGAL were published in 2014, including:
•an inventory of livestock-farming
practices with the potential to favour
the development of antibiotic resistance in animal health, calling among
other things, for a halt to the use of
antibiotics for preventive purposes,
•an estimate of the mortality rate
among bees in Europe and identifying certain causes of bee deaths
as part of the European EPILOBEE
study,
•a comparative analysis of models
used in Europe to assess residents’
exposure to plant health products.
•an analysis of the results of the INSERM joint expert assessment of
“pesticides and health”.
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
Laboratories
A responsive,
leading network
At the latest audit of the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) in the area of diseases
with emergency plans, in 2014, the audit team was able to observe the technical
excellence of the networks of official laboratories that give France the ability to
respond to all kinds of crisis.
A
s with all state control authorities,
France’s official laboratories are
regularly inspected by the Food
and Veterinary Office (FVO), the body responsible within the European Union among
other things for ensuring compliance with
European legislation in the areas of food
safety and quality, animal health and welfare and plant health matters.
The National Referral Laboratories (LNR),
which specialise in one or more areas of
competence, run the networks for which
they are responsible. Accredited laboratories consist mainly of the Departmental Analysis Laboratories (LDA) run by
the councils for each département. Their
COFRAC accreditation and participation
in the activities of the networks run by
the LNR guarantee the reliability, quality
and comparability of analysis results, regardless of the geographical origin of the
laboratory carrying out the analysis.
The network of laboratories that carry out
official analyses is equipped to deal with
both emergency analyses in the event of
a crisis and routine, scheduled analyses
in relation to surveillance or monitoring
plans. In 2014, following the end of BSE
tests at abattoirs for healthy cattle born
after 1 January 2002, the laboratories
adapted to reflect the decline in demand,
most of which is now concentrated on
analyses during slaughter.
49
Contribution to the development of the
3rd National Health and
Environment Plan (PNSE3)
The DGAL has played an active role in the development of the PNSE3, as a member
of the steering committee, by participating in various preparatory working groups
and coordinating the response of the various Ministry departments involved.
FAITS MARQUANTS
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50
he PNSE3 (2015-2019) was published in November 2014 following
a public consultation phase. It is
organised on the basis of four themed
areas:
•the health issues raised by pathologies connected to the environment,
•issues around knowledge of exposure, its effects and possible actions,
•research into environmental health,
•strengthening the momentum for
environmental health at a territorial
level.
The DGAL is closely involved in numerous areas: food, which has for the first
time been the subject of dedicated actions, such as continuing to acquire data
on chemical contaminations; pesticides
(aerial surveillance, exposure of populations living close to areas where they
are applied, more detailed understanding of toxicity in combination, etc.) but
also veterinary medicines (including the
problem of antibiotic resistance) and
nutrition.
Taking account of the increasing impact of the environment on human
health is a complex and wide-ranging
subject. Three national Health and Environment Plans (PNSE) have been produced by the government since 2004.
The first PNSE (2004-2008) was produced with a team of scientists whilst
the second (2009-2013) was developed
and monitored closely in conjunction
with stakeholders (the state, NGOs,
employee trade unions, employers/industrialists, people with particular qualifications, politicians, representatives
of associations and professionals in the
healthcare system).
The third PNSE was also produced in
consultation with stakeholders, taking
into account the reviews of the two previous plans. Actions have been devolved
to the local/regional level and new tools
for monitoring activities have been introduced.
The Environmental Conference on 27
and 28 November 2014 provided an opportunity to explore certain themes in
the PNSE3 in more detail, in particular
continuing to reduce exposure to certain substances (including endocrine
disruptors, nanomaterials, etc.). Actions
to be taken in these areas starting in
2015 will be set out in “roadmaps”.
Reintroduction
©Cheick Saidou/Min.Agri.Fr
of cadmium
monitoring
in horse livers
Observing a blood sample under a microscope.
Endocrine disruptors
Contributing
to the development
of the national strategy
The DGAL has played an active role in developing the national strategy, in particular on topics related to phytopharmaceutical products and those regarding certain
contaminants present in the environment, and which can be found in the food
chain, such as perfluorinated compounds.
T
he main aim of the national strategy on endocrine disruptors (SNPE),
which came out of the 2012 Environmental Conference and was published
in spring 2014, is to reduce human and
environmental exposure to such substances. The strategy provides for France
encouraging research efforts, for example
by funding research programs and fostering
cooperation between the public and private
sectors. It supports expert assessments of
substances likely to be endocrine disrup-
tors: 15 substances will be assessed by
ANSES over three years. It also promotes
the role of the French authorities to develop
a regulatory framework for endocrine disruptors at the European level by proposing
a definition for them. The strategy encourages innovation by guiding industrialists
in seeking substitutes for the substances
concerned. Finally, it calls for training and
information initiatives, both for the general
public and certain target audiences, such
as workers.
The Surveillance and Control Plan
Campaign (PSPC) 2014 provided an
opportunity to update surveillance
and cadmium contamination data for
horses over the age of two, regardless
of their country of origin.
H
orses’ organs (unlike their meat)
are particularly prone to cadmium concentration and horse
livers (for animals over the age of two)
have been systematically monitored as a
result since 1993.
For information, cadmium is carcinogenic in humans and causes chronic toxicity, the main effect of which
is renal damage (irreversible kidney
disease, which can result in kidney failure). Almost 200 tests were scheduled
throughout France in 2014. The results
obtained confirmed systematic non-compliance in horse offal and justify systematic maintenance of monitoring at the
abattoir; they also show that meat on
the market is compliant. Monitoring will
continue on horses in 2015, with a particular focus on animals under the age of
two, in order to further understanding of
the level of contamination in young animals.
51
Review of the European regulation
Throughout 2014, the DGAL in conjunction with the Euratom Technical Committee, has played an active role in the
redevelopment of Euratom Regulation
no. 3954/87, laying out permitted levels of radioactive contamination for
foodstuffs and animal feed following a
nuclear accident or in any other radiological emergency.
FAITS MARQUANTS
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52
he regulation, which will be considered by the European Parliament
in 2015, provides for maximum
permitted levels (MPL), which are
regulatory thresholds, above which it
is prohibited to market the foodstuff
concerned. The MPLs were set based
on consumption data and on the basis of an understanding of how the various radioactive nuclides potentially
discharged during a nuclear accident are
transferred, as well as their toxicity. The
assumption used to calculate them are
conservative in order to guarantee sufficiently low levels of exposure through
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
Managing foodstuffs in the
event of a nuclear accident
Tricastin nuclear plant.
ingesting foodstuffs. It also provides for
a review of MPLs within a short period after the accident (less than three
months) to ensure closer alignment
with the reality of the situation (depending on the scale of the discharge, levels of contamination, etc.). The review
will now move on to a discussion at the
committee level (scrutiny by the toxicology section of the ScoPAFF – Standing
Committee on Plants, Animals, Food
and Feed, whose members are experts
in chemical and physical contaminants
in foodstuffs from each Member State).
Radiological risk in foodstuffs in
the European Union is now managed in two ways:
• controls on imports of foodstuffs from Eastern Europe and
Japan following the Chernobyl
(1986) and Fukushima (2011) accidents.
• a regulatory mechanism to introduce measures to manage
foodstuffs in the event of a
nuclear accident with an impact
on the quality of produce in the European Union, under the terms of
the Euratom Treaty (regulation no.
3954/87).
At the same time, the DGAL, with
technical support from the Institute
for Radioprotection and Nuclear
Safety (IRSN), monitors the radiological quality of animal and animal-origin foodstuffs produced in France by
looking for radioactive nuclides in several
hundred samples.
Abattoirs
Overview
and discussions
on changes
to inspection
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Changes to abattoir tests
BSE tests on animals in abattoirs and during quartering are carried out for the
purpose of epidemiological surveillance of the disease in herds of cows, rather
than for consumer protection. The decision to end BSE tests on animals born after
1 January 2002 was taken following an opinion from ANSES.
I
n accordance with the favourable opinion issued by European and French
scientific bodies, testing requirements were eased by stopping tests on
cattle born after 1 January 2002. Nonetheless, tests continue to be conducted on so-called “at risk” animals at the
abattoir and during quartering, and on
animals born before the ban on using
animal meal to feed productive livestock
was effective. Given the positive change
in the epidemiological situation, and
on the basis of scientific opinion, the
European Union made conducting BSE
tests on so-called “healthy” animals optional at abattoirs from 1 March 2013,
although tests must continue on “at
risk” animals. The majority of Member
States chose this option, which does not
carry any risk in terms of public health,
and meat from untested healthy animals
circulates freely on the European market as provided for in the regulation.
Consumer protection is ensured by systematic removal at the abattoir of specified risk materials (SRM), the list of
which is drawn up at a European level.
Removal of such materials is subject to
strict control procedures at the abattoir
by the veterinary inspection services,
which are present at all times. Health
authorisations are granted and maintained subject to the SRM management
procedures being correctly managed.
A seminar on abattoir inspections was
organised by the DGAL from 16 to 18
June .
T
he first half day, aimed at departmental directors with responsibility
for protecting the public (DD(CS)
PP and DDPP), was attended by representatives from abattoir federations,
ANSES and the European Commission,
which outlined prospects for changes
to the inspection of fresh meat in the
European Union, with a view to adapting
it to control the main risks for each species, according to the latest scientific
opinion. The following two days, the 17
and 18 of June, provided an opportunity
to address topics from a more technical
angle with official veterinary surgeons
and auxiliaries, and Chief Veterinary Officers. Over 200 delegates were able to
take part in the discussions on various
topical subjects, including Information
about the food chain, changes to abattoir
inspections of poultry and pigs, animal
protection and welfare and the role of the
network of national abattoir representatives.
A very positive experience, which
could be repeated in the form of a
two-yearly meeting.
53
COMBATING
FOOD CRIME
FAITS MARQUANTS
Fraud, forgery, investigations, and more.
54
In February 2014, the DAAF in French
Guiana, with the support of the DGAL’s
National Veterinary and Plant Health
Investigation Unit (BNEVP) and the
Central Office for Environmental and
Public Health Protection (OCLAESP),
strengthened the control system for
illegal imports of phytopharmaceutical
products.
I
llegal imports of phytopharmaceutical
products in French Guiana are a major
problem in both environmental and public health terms. The area that needs to
be monitored is comparable to the size
of Portugal, with numerous river borders
and supplies from abroad “common currency.” These specific characteristics
make it difficult to monitor prohibited or
counterfeit products from neighbouring
countries such as Surinam and Brazil. A
training and awareness-raising campaign
on combating the traffic in phytopharmaceutical products was run by two of
the unit’s specialist investigators. While
they were there, they met most of the
local actors involved, including the food
©Min.Agri.Fr
Mission
to French
Guiana
on illegal
plant health
products
department (Salim), of course, but also
the judicial authorities, customs service,
police, Department of the Environment,
Development and Housing (DEAL), the
National Office of Water and Aquatic
Environments (Onema), the Department
of Business, Competition, Consumer Affairs, Work and Employment (DIECCTE)
and even the Air and Borders Police
(PAF).
The mission provided an opportunity to
carry out inspections on both the distribution and use of phytopharmaceutical
products, with positive results. Thanks to
the support of the police and various services involved, the two investigators were
Veterinary unit in French Guiana
able to confirm the massive presence in
French Guiana of illegal, prohibited or
counterfeit products and the scale of
trafficking, particularly from neighbouring Surinam.
Administrative proceedings were begun
following the inspections. The importance of issues such as collection, storage and safe destruction of non-compliant products and their packaging was
emphasised. Tangible solutions need
to be found for products seized by the
courts or consigned by the administrative
authorities, an unavoidable and essential
step for effective action on the ground.
55
Conviction
for sale
of illegal
plant health
Plant health
products:
European
coordination
In June 2014, a business owner in the
Troyes region was given a suspended
prison sentence and ordered to pay a
fine of €10,000 for having stored and
sold large quantities of Spanish and British phytopharmaceutical products that
had no marketing authorisation or similar trading permit in France.
FAITS MARQUANTS
S
56
ome of the products, which were
offered to farmers in several regions, had long been banned from
the French market because of their intrinsic toxicity. Stored discreetly in a secret
warehouse, they were delivered “off the
back of the lorry” by the businessman
himself or one of his employees, at particularly attractive prices. At his hearing,
the business owner, who in his defence
stated that he was acting “for the good
of French agriculture and to maintain
its competitiveness” was also asked to
explain evidence of illegal working and
various alleged breaches of the French
Labour Code.
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
products
The DGAL’s National Investigation Unit
played an active role in the investigations that began following an initial report. It worked with investigators from
the French police force to establish the
facts, attending various searches and interviews with customers of the businessman from Aube.
Staff from the health investigation
units in various Member States met
in Belgium in 2014, to increase surveillance and ensure more effective
coordination of efforts to combat
trafficking in illegal phytopharmaceutical products within the European
area.
A
s a result, an informal meeting of
the Belgian, Dutch, German and
French investigation teams was
organised in Antwerp in June 2014 to encourage data sharing on current “plant
health” issues and discuss actual cases
which, more often than not, have international ramifications. The BNEVP took
part in the meeting as a representative
of the French inspection and investigation teams. It is generally not possible
to discuss particular cases of monitoring
companies or networks thought to be
involved in the illegal pesticides trade
at more official meetings, since investi-
gations of traffickers require immense
discretion. The meeting was followed by
a conference organised by Europol (the
European law enforcement agency), aimed at reviewing progress on the organisation of phytopharmaceutical product
inspections at various European ports.
Eight Member States were represented
and share their respective experience in
this area. Cooperation between the customs authorities and staff responsible for
inspections of phytopharmaceutical products was a key topic.
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
In spite of the difficulties encountered, a number of cooperation initiatives
are already on the agenda in numerous
Member States, including France, which
should, in time, help to improve inspections and prevent prohibited phytopharmaceutical products from entering the
country.
Animal protection
Combating dog and cat
trafficking
In June, the National Veterinary and Plant Health Investigation Unit took part in
an initiative to combat animal trafficking, in conjunction with the National Customs Enforcement Authority (SNDJ) and the Paris Regional Intervention Group
(GIR).
D
uring the operation, around 160
dogs and cats were seized from
pet shops where complaints had
been received from customers and the
French Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA). The shops concerned were
all in central Paris on Quai de la Mégisserie, which is known for its pet shops
and nurseries. The five people brought
before the investigating judge and at
risk of being interviewed under caution
were two pet-shop managers, two veterinary surgeons and an employee.
The public prosecutor’s office requested
that the two managers be detained pending investigation accompanied by court
supervision and that the two veterinary
surgeons and the employee be prohibited
from practising.
Among the animals seized, the investigators found puppies who were younger
than shown on their papers and who
were not properly vaccinated against rabies, suggesting possible illegal practice
of veterinary medicine. The animals has
also suffered ill treatment. Modern-day
trafficking concerns dogs and cats that
are imported from Eastern Europe and
sold in Western Europe at a significant
profit.
The DGAL’s investigation unit, which is
already closely involved in these issues,
also took part in an international conference in June, on the law and animal
welfare in the Czech Republic. The aim
was to draw attention to the poor conditions associated with illegal breeding of
puppies then destined for the black market, mainly heading for Western Europe.
Representatives from Belgium, Germany
and Spain were also present. Around
50,000 puppies are thought to be illegally imported into France from the Czech
Republic each year. The authorities there
were very interested in the French system. They are keen to come and see the
work being done on the ground in France
and update their national regulations.
57
©Xavier Remongin/Min.agri.fr
Ag
in.
/M
gin
on
em
rR
vie
Xa
©
Fr
ri.
Fraud in the horse sector: follow-up
FAITS MARQUANTS
The case in 2013, around the dismantling of a major horse-trafficking network based on falsified documents, continued
into 2014.
58
I
n late 2013, 21 people were questioned
following an investigation about the
slaughter of horses in France and Spain
not intended for human consumption.
The investigation continued in 2014, primarily through an international request
for judicial assistance in Spain. The
horse trafficking identified in 2013 was
wide-ranging and organised. It extended
beyond mainland France and required
cross-border cooperation. A Spanish citizen brought in for questioning in France
in early September during a delivery of
horses was interviewed under caution.
He remains in prison in Marseille. A
horse dealer in the Drôme was also sent
to prison at the end of November. As
part of the same investigation, in which
the BNEVP has played an active role, a
judicial operation took place at a horse
dealer’s in the Vaucluse with a commercial relationship with the Spanish vendor.
Carcasses and bodies of dead horses buried by the farmer were found, along with
an illegal abattoir for sheep, goats and
cattle that was not up to standard health
requirements. The public prosecutor’s
office in Avignon began an investigation
for “ill treatment of animals, cruelty,
dumping carcasses and pollution” as carcasses buried in sometimes submerged
locations could have contaminated the
water table. The farmer in the Vaucluse
was interviewed under caution. Several
departmental directorates played an effective role in operations on the ground,
alongside the BNEVP. The investigation is
still ongoing.
Food fraud
Strengthening European
cooperation
A conference attended by representatives of the Member States responsible for
combating fraud in the food sector was organised in Rome in October 2014, by
the Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG Sanco) and the Italian
government. France was represented by the investigation unit.
T
he aim of the conference was to
increase awareness of the major
issue of fraud in the food sector
for economic reasons, as well as promoting and developing interdisciplinary cooperation and communication
between those involved in combating
fraud, from the judicial and health-inspection authorities to representatives
of the industrial sector and consumers.
Returning to an actual case of fraud
both upstream and downstream in the
animal sector, the “horsemeat scandal”, which received widespread media
coverage and caused a serious crisis
of confidence in the food industry, the
DGAL’s investigation unit presented the
main findings of the enquiry carried out
in France and the difficulties it raised,
namely:
•Food fraud and health risks are often closely intertwined.
•Horsemeat trafficking began as
a strictly economic issue (fraud).
However, the investigation led by
the BENVP quickly identified potential health risks (such as a lack
of information about what drugs the
horses had taken in the past, inadequate traceability, the lack of medication records, etc.)
•Food trafficking often takes place
on an international scale, with offenders taking advantage of the complexity of European supply circuits.
Networks can only be dismantled if
there is close cooperation between
inspection services on a European
scale.
•National coverage by decentralised
state services increases the effectiveness of investigation teams
working throughout the country. Without the support of the DDPPs, the
work done by the BNEVP would not
have been possible.
•Joint management of the administrative and judicial consequences
of the same case is not always
easy.
The conference ended with ten recommendations designed to increase the
effectiveness of efforts to combat fraud.
Veterinary
pharmacy
Conviction for dispensing medicines
without a prescription.
A
pharmacy supplying medicines
for both veterinary and human
use was reported in relation to
the Ventipulmin® investigation run by the
BENVP and the DGCCRF’s investigation
unit following long and difficult court
proceedings. Ventipulmin is a veterinary medicine (an anabolic agent) that is
sometimes used for other purposes. It
is prohibited for use in humans but sometimes used illegally for doping or even
as a slimming aid. The investigation was
successfully completed thanks to good
cooperation between the investigation
team, the Regional Health Agency and
the DRAAF Aquitaine.
59
HEALTH CRISES
AND ALERTS
FAITS MARQUANTS
Non-compliances, food poisoning,
investigations, and more.
60
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Widespread food poisoning
linked to beetroot consumption
In 2014, the DGAL’s Health Emergencies Unit (MUS) was informed of four episodes of widespread food poisoning involving
consumption of grated raw beetroot in schools, affecting almost 450 children.
S
ymptoms in the various cases included vomiting and abdominal
pain within 15 to 30 minutes of
initial consumption. The epidemiological
surveys carried out by the Regional Health
Agencies and food surveys conducted by
the DD(CS)PP (coordinated by the DGAL/
MUS) showed a significant correlation
between the symptoms and consuming
grated raw beetroot, and no link to the
other foods served. The traceability studies carried out by the DD(CS)PP (coordinated by the DGCCRF/alert unit) showed
that the beetroots consumed came in one
case from a Belgian producer, and in two
others from a Spanish producer. Several
possibilities were then considered: a high
concentration of strains of Pseudomonas with a high level of pathogens, the
presence of toxins produced by other microorganisms of bacterial or fungal origin,
or the presence of toxic chemical substances. The exact cause of the symptoms
observed, however, was not identified during the studies.
In July 2014, a request for technical and
scientific support was sent to ANSES by
the DGCCRF so that an expert assessment of the various hypotheses outlined
above could be carried out. The opinion
was published in December 2014. As
this pointed to the need for further investigations, it was recommended, as
a precaution until there was a clearer understanding of the phenomena
observed, that grated raw beetroot
should not be served in canteens in
educational institutions or homes for
the elderly, a solution that was successfully adopted in Finland when it was faced
with a similar problem. The information
was disseminated widely by the DGCCRF
and the DGAL in late 2014 to institutional
food services.
61
©Cheick Saidou/Min.Agri.Fr
Salmonellosis
Investigations of cases in humans
The DGAL was notified of several salmonellosis epidemics by the InVS in 2014. These were investigated to determine
their causes and implement corrective measures.
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A
62
s part of its surveillance role,
the InVS is informed by the National Referral Centre (CNR) of
any abnormal increase in the number of
patients linked to a particular salmonella serotype. An increase in the number
of cases over a short period suggests a
common source.
Investigations are then carried out by the
Regional Health Agencies (coordinated
by the InVS): epidemiologists in the regions where cases have occurred question patients with the help of a specially
designed questionnaire to try to identify
a common product or type of product.
ANSES’ national referral laboratory is
contacted at the same time, to find out
whether a recent increase in the number
of strains of animal or food origin associated with the symptoms has been observed. It also investigates whether isolated strains in the food chain are likely
to be linked to the cases found.
As a result, the MUS was notified of six
salmonellosis epidemics by the InVS in
2014. The salmonella strains concerned
belonged to different serotypes: Hadar,
Havana, Typhimurium, Enteritidis and Kedougou.
In these six cases, traceability studies
were carried out by the DD(CS)PP on the
basis of information gathered through the
questionnaires given to patients, coordinated by the DGAL and in some cases
supported by major retailers. The surveys
were used to identify contaminated batches of sausages (in two cases), cheeses
made with unpasteurised milk (in two
cases), poultry meat (in one case) and
German eggs (in one case). Withdrawals
and recalls were implemented using notices and press releases. These actions
were supplemented by rigorous corrective measures at the producers and on
the farms concerned (identification of
origin, eliminating the root cause and
checking the effectiveness of the actions
carried out).
©Pascal Xicluna/Min.Agri.Fr
Escherichia coli in cheese
Several alerts relating to this bacterium were issued in 2014.
Goat’s cheese production unit.
Salting the cheeses.
O
ne of them related to a batch
of goat’s cheese marketed in
France and throughout Europe.
The cheese was withdrawn from sale and
recalled via a press release because of
the presence of E.coli STEC O26: H11, in
July 2014 The alert was triggered by an
analysis carried out as part of a DGAL
surveillance plan. As soon as the results
were known, the business concerned embarked on highly rigorous investigations
on a vast scale in close cooperation with
the DDPP and DGAL (MUS), as well as
withdrawing and recalling the products
concerned. All batches and all producers delivering milk to the business were
systematically inspected and analysed.
Some farmers were ordered to stop production and the business provided them
with technical support to help identify the
source of the contamination, implement
effective corrective actions and increase
hygiene control during milking. Today,
thanks to the efforts it has made, the
business is able to ensure better control
and management of the risk of E.coli
STEC. This alert and the 13 other E.coli
STEC alerts concerning various types of
cheese made with unpasteurised milk notified in 2014 had a not insignificant economic and media impact on the whole
of the unpasteurised cheese sector. The
alerts occurred at a time when the European Commission was thinking about
producing guidelines for harmonised management measures across the various
Member States in case of the appearance of foods contaminated with Escherichia coli, which produces a shigatoxin
that is potentially pathogenic in humans.
There is still much to explore in this area
(such as understanding the pathogenicity of E.coli STEC found in cheeses, how
contamination occurs on farms, analytical methods, etc.)
The administrative authorities (DGAL,
DGS and InVS), scientific bodies (CNR,
LNR, ANSES and INRA) and professional
organisations, which are already highly
aware of the issue (they fund a significant
amount of research) attended a round
table in early 2015, to review our current
level of understanding and develop an
action plan to address the problem more
effectively, provide professionals and
other competent authorities with surveillance and management tools and finally,
help France to be a proactive source of
ideas during the next round of European
negotiations.
63
Redevelopment
of emergency plans
Combating certain animal and plant diseases that are particularly serious in
terms of their consequences on farming (epizooty) or plant production relies
mainly on developing an emergency plan designed to set out in detail the actions to be taken if a disease is suspected or confirmed. As combating diseases
involves multiple players in both the public and private sectors, the plan is included in the ORSEC (organisation of civil-security response) mechanism run by
the prefects at a departmental level.
F
FAITS MARQUANTS
ollowing the national debate on
health, redevelopment of the existing system of emergency plans was
begun in France. The new system, called
the “National Plan for Emergency Health
Intervention” will now be built around
a generic plan that includes all aspects
common to all diseases that require an
emergency plan, and specific plans for
each individual disease. The national plan
is then rolled out to the local level in the
context of the ORSEC system.
64
2014 marked the finalisation of the
generic animal health plan and one of
the specific plans. In accordance with
the provisions of the French Rural Code,
the plans have been submitted to CNOPSAV (see pages 12-13) and ANSES for
their opinion. These will replace the existing documents and will be published by
order of the French Agriculture Minister
in 2015. The other specific plans will be
revised in 2015.
As far as plant health is concerned, work
to update the scheme will begin in 2015.
In addition, regular exercises are organised at a departmental, regional, zone
or national level to test state services
preparations for combating diseases and
the relevance of the schemes in place.
82 exercises were conducted across
France in 2014.
Finally, a European Commission audit
of emergency animal health plans took
place between 3 and 14 November. This
covered the whole of the system, from
surveillance to crisis management linked
to an epizooty. The final report is expected in early 2015.
Cases
of human Q
fever linked
to sheep
farming
In mid-May 2014, 19 cases of pulmonary disease were diagnosed in
young patients in the space of six
days by Valréas hospital (Vaucluse).
The patients were linked by having
visited several sheep farms in the
Drôme three weeks previously. Given the symptoms, Q fever was
strongly suspected and samples
were sent to the National Referral
Centre (CNR), which confirmed the
diagnosis on 21 May.
S
till known as coxiellosis, Q fever
is caused by a highly resistant infectious agent in the environment,
called Coxiella burnetti. Q fever is a zoonosis and the risks of human exposure
and contamination are high, particularly
during birthing and abortions but also
through airborne transmission of bacteria
and inhaling dust. As soon as the cases
were confirmed, an investigation area
was set up by the Drôme DDPP based on
the results of the epidemiological survey
carried out by the Regional Health Agency (ARS). The DGAL coordinated the investigations and sought support from the
National Referral Laboratory to interpret
the results of the analyses. Information
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
©Xavier Remongin/Min.Agri.Fr
Increased vigilance
on animal diseases
at borders
Monitoring of exotic diseases was
increased in 2014 with international
health monitoring carried out by the
Animal Health Epidemiosurveillance
Platform. An audit of surveillance
mechanisms for exotic diseases is
also currently underway.
Rearing black merino sheep at the agricultural college in Ahun.
was prepared and the Drôme DDPP given
assistance in drafting a press release. A
farm with small ruminants that had been
visited by the patients was identified as a
potential source of Coxiella. In fact, three
complicated births with one death had
been recorded at the end of April.
The DDPP took samples (swabs using
sticks and cloths, and blood samples)
which were sent to an accredited laboratory to determine whether it was a
Coxiella source or not. The farm was
closed to the public as soon as the results of the analysis were known. The
adult sheep were treated with antibiotics
and the lambs vaccinated. Manure from
the farm was covered with a tarpaulin
for three months to reduce the number
of bacteria, then spread on the farmer’s
own land.
A total of 93 people living or staying in
the southern Drôme or northern Vaucluse presented with symptoms between
1 May and 12 June 2014, although not all
of them were diagnosed with Q fever. In
the end, 45 cases of Q fever were confirmed and 13 recorded as likely.
International health monitoring aims
to identify, monitor and analyse
the signs of animal health hazards
threatening France as a whole, to support the risk assessments carried out
by ANSES and how they are managed
by the DGAL.
See the Platform website:
http://www.plateforme-esa.fr/
65
Bird flu
Cases of PED in the United
States, Canada, Mexico
and Japan
The DGAL has implemented measures to limit the risk of introducing the disease
into France.
FAITS MARQUANTS
P
66
orcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) is
a coronavirus disease of pigs that
was identified in the 1970s. The
disease is re-emerging and spreading
in a much more virulent form than previously in the United States and Canada
since April 2013, and in Mexico and Japan
(since the end of 2013). It is particularly dangerous for suckling piglets (with
a mortality rate of over 90%) but also
growing pigs and adults. Herds can be
quickly decimated and the resulting economic consequences dramatic for the
farms concerned.
The two main sources of transmission of
the disease are introducing a live animal
that is excreting the virus or animal feed
containing contaminated pork products.
Several measures have been taken by the
DGAL since the beginning of 2014. The
subject was raised by France at a mee-
ting of Chief Veterinary Officers in the
European Union in February 2014 and
referred to ANSES as an urgent case, for
a scientific opinion on the risks of introduction and recommendations in terms
of management measures.
In April, the authorities decided to include the disease on the list of category 1 health dangers by interministerial
decree, which imposes an obligation to
declare it and set up a surveillance system. The expert committee that met in
Brussels on 6 May decided to increase
security measures for certain animal
feed products (pig plasma and dried
blood) imported from third countries. At
the same time, the US and Canadian authorities have undertaken not to export
live pigs to the European Union until the
situation has been re-examined at both
the European and global level.
in three European Union
countries: increased
biosecurity and
surveillance
The DGAL has increased surveillance
to protect farms in light of the risk of
introducing the disease into France.
S
everal cases of bird flu were identified in the European Union (Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Italy) in the autumn of 2014.
The bird-flu strain identified was H5N8,
which is currently circulating in Asia (China, Japan and Korea).
The DGAL has asked its own services and
professionals in the sector to take action
and step up surveillance systems in the
country. It also submitted an urgent request to the risk assessment agency
ANSES, to find out more about the development of the risk in France and the
dangerousness of the strain.
Following the opinion from ANSES, which
was published in 24 November, and the
confirmed case in wildlife in Germany,
the level of epizootic risk for bird flu in
France was raised to “moderate” as defined in the regulations.
The DGAL also organised an emergency
meeting of all those involved to provide
information and set out the surveillance
Food safety: training
Chinese managers
in risk analysis
and biosecurity measures required to
protect farms. By the end of 2014, no
cases of H5N8 bird flu have been detected in France, either on a farm or in wildlife; the networks remain on alert.
China, which has experienced some serious food-related health scandals (notably the crisis of melamine in milk in 2008) has just reviewed its food safety
system and created a specialist agency responsible for ensuring safe foodstuffs
throughout the food chain. The country is keen to develop its cooperation with
France, particularly with respect to dairy products.
Should the disease be detected in
France, the Ministry is ready to activate the National Plan for Emergency
Health Intervention.
T
A Europe-wide survey
Sharka virus
The DGAL carried out an investigation
following a contamination in the Rhône-Alpes region of peach-tree plants
from a German nursery.
he training organised by the European Commission in May 2014
was aimed at national and regional staff employed by the specialist
agency and was also attended by representatives of the food processing
groups. The presentations covered risk
analysis in the food sector, including
risk assessment and the role of EFSA
(the European Food Safety Authority),
risk management and communicating
about risk.
The DGAL was asked to make three presentation on first, the European Rapid
Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF);
secondly, crisis management at the European level and within Member States; and
thirdly, on communicating about risk (to the
public, between assessors and managers,
between countries, to professionals, etc.).
Following the results of the analyses
already carried out, several samples
proved to be contaminated, which enabled appropriate measures to be taken.
Additional investigations are carried out
each time a new contamination is detec-
ted in order to confirm the cause (the
German supplier of stocks or Romanian
grafts). Sharka is a disease of stone-fruit
trees caused by a virus called Plum pox
virus.
Discussions with the Chinese representatives were extensive, particularly with regard to communications and exchanging
information between stakeholders on both
assessment and management.
T
he German authorities were contacted; all of the nursery’s French customers were identified and inspections of the plants delivered carried out.
This involved the Champagne-Ardennes,
Alsace and Pays de la Loire regions.
Over 600 analyses of suspect plants
were carried out by the DRAAFs. Other
analyses were scheduled for spring 2015
in Alsace and Champagne-Ardennes.
67
FAITS MARQUANTS
MANAGEMENT
AND organisation
68
Strategic plan 2013-2015:
progress to date
2014 saw either the finalisation or significant progress in actions in the DGAL’s strategic plan for 2013-2015. All leaders
of the 24 action sheets worked to keep to the planned timetable.
T
he DGAL’s main priorities are laid
out in its strategic plan and include:
•reaffirming its sovereign role and
responsiveness in relation to food
safety,
•ensuring its actions are transparent
to increase trust,
•helping to establish international
influence, which contributes to
the competitiveness of French businesses.
The 24 actions in the strategic plan
are split into four priority areas:
•update and consolidate how the
state intervenes in public policy
areas within the remit of the DGAL;
•optimise collective operations
and facilitation methods;
•rationalise working tools and methods;
•position DGAL and promote its
policies and actions in its sphere
of activity.
2015 will mark the end of the current
ambitious strategic plan.
The Steering Committee will continue to
track the progress of work, ensuring that
actions are correctly aligned with strategic objectives and making any decisions
required. A review will be carried out at
the end of the year. Discussions will begin in the third quarter of 2015 to produce a strategic plan for the 2016-2018,
in line with the next three-year budget.
69
Management through quality:
a continuing approach
The DGAL continued with its management through quality approach in 2014, taking a process-based approach in line with
the ISO 9001 standard.
FAITS MARQUANTS
T
70
he DGAL has a long tradition of
implementing quality processes,
particularly for conducting inspections (ISO 17020). It was decided to
extend these processes to all activities,
based on the standard ISO 9001. A map
of processes describing all of the DGAL’s
activities was used to distinguish (in
addition to the management process,
including quality), four operational processes (inspection, public policy – regulation and public policies – incentives
and intelligence, surveillance, prevention
and crisis management) and four support processes (communication, human
resources, information systems and finance).
The first round of feedback was given on
9 December at the DD(CS)PP meeting,
based on opinions of several directors.
This provided an opportunity to illustrate
principles that will now be applied in
each organisation.
A training plan for all staff has been
produced to support the changes,
based on a pack of materials made available to all the trainers involved.
Link to internal control
Internal control was made compulsory in all ministries by decree no. 2011775 of 28 June 2011 on internal audits
within the administrative authorities. The
DGAL contributed to defining the ministry’s risk map in accordance with the
procedures for identifying risks and management methods implemented as part
of the process-based approach.
As a result, the DGAL is directly af-
fected by eight of the 27 risks identified and ranked for the ministry as
a whole. In fact, both processes are
closely aligned with each other. It is on
the basis of risk map that the Ministry’s
internal audit committee establishes its
annual audit programme.
Stages
•July 2014: definition of strategic
directions by the Director General for Food;
•October 2014: initial deployment with the management process and publication of the general policy declaration;
•December 2014: publication of
the national quality manual.
RESYTAL:
a new step for
the DGAL’s information
system
RESYTAL has taken a further step towards full implementation in line with the
timetable established several months ago.
T
he “Management of product inspections at abattoirs” area was
implemented at over 280 abattoirs
in the fourth quarter of 2014. Late 2014
also saw the launch of the “User management” and “Inspection management”
functions, both in the plant health area.
These achievements are the result of over
two-and-a-half years’ work by all staff at
the DGAL, the Ministry’s General Secretariat and representatives of the decentralised services, who have played an
active role in the various working groups.
Over 150 training sessions were organised during the final quarter of 2014.
More will be organised in 2015, as other
areas of functionality come on-stream
and thousands of DD(CS)PP staff are
trained.
The RESYTAL should be launched in
early 2015, following by the “User management” module for the DD(CS)PPs
in May 2015 and the “Risk analysis” and
“Inspection scheduling” modules over
the course of the year. A key step in this
major roll-out will be the launch of the
“Inspection management” module in the
veterinary area for all DD(CS)PPs at the
end of 2015, accompanied by “Follow-up
management”. The new version of “Operational assignment management” (GAO)
should be launched in May 2015. Finally, there is the data processing platform
“DEDAL”, which is available to the whole
work community and provides access to
management and monitoring dashboards
and to extensive data research and extraction options.
The aim of Resytal is to:
•provide all staff with a common,
powerful, easy-to-use tool,
•provide real-time health status
information on animals, plants
and food,
•assess and manage the DGAL’s
actions,
•ensure fast, reliable reporting,
•share information with key health
players in France.
71
NEGOTIATIONS AND
INTERNATIONAL
TRADE
Cooperation, lifting health barriers, trade, legislation,
borders, trade security, training, and more.
Number of bilateral meetings on animal and plant
health (IPPC** and OIE*): 44
Discussions with
European veterinary
services on antibiotic
resistance
Number of delegations from other countries received
for audit or inspection purposes: 30
15 trips abroad
Participation in 8
bilateral agricultural
committees
European Union Chief Veterinary Officers (CVO) and representatives of the Commission were invited to take part in a working meeting on combating antibiotic
resistance alongside the International Agricultural Show on 27 February 2014.
T
wenty CVOs (from Austria, Belgium,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, Germany, Great
Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland)
and a representative from the European
Commission (DG Sanco – the Directorate
General for Health and Consumers) took
up the DGAL’s invitation. Europe is well
placed in the fight against antibiotic resistance and is keen to play a proactive
role at the global level.
The meeting was opened by minister Stéphane Le Foll. The group had some interesting discussions on this major issue in
animal and public health, with the aim of
a higher level of individual and collective
efficiency. European CVOs work together
regularly in Europe and therefore know
each other well.
*International Plant
Protection Convention
**World Organisation for
Animal Health
Mediterranean:
cooperation on animal
health
Remesa has decided to invest in a regional vaccines bank for priority diseases
and more specifically, foot-and-mouth disease.
T
wo meetings of the Joint Permanent Committee (JPC) of the Mediterranean Animal Health Network
(REMESA) were held in March 2014,
one in Malta, which chaired the meeting
jointly with Mauritania, and one in Tunis
in November, where the discussions focused mainly on foot-and-mouth disease,
in response to the increase in the disease
from April 2014. Other priority diseases
identified by the network, such as PPR
(peste des petits ruminants), rabies and
Rift Valley fever were also addressed.
Countries in the network decided to
combine their efforts to create a regional
vaccines bank. The bank will be managed
by the OIE under the responsibility of a
management committee made up of donors and REMESA member states.
The stock of vaccines will be virtual,
pre-purchased form a pharmaceutical
laboratory following a tendering process
and available on demand as required.
A system of this kind will ensure order
flexibility and management of logistics
through to the point of delivery, with
prices negotiated on a larger or smaller
scale. Similar vaccine banks already exist
in south-east Asia, where the system
functions well.
73
In 2015, the network will be co-chaired
by Greece and Algeria and will expand
to include Lebanon and Jordan. The next
Joint Permanent Committee meeting will
take place in Greece (Heraklion) in March
2015. The meetings attract around
30 participants, including CVOs from
member states, representatives of international and regional organisations and
experts from reference laboratories; the
French representative is Jean-Luc Angot,
Deputy Managing Director for Food and
CVO.
Closure of the French-Tunisian
partnership on animal health
Launched in January 2012 and after more than 27 months of work, the capacity-building partnership with the Tunisian
National Centre of Zoosanitary Intelligence (CNVZ) came to an end on 24 April 2014 at a seminar in the presence of the
Tunisian Minister of Agriculture and the French and Tunisian CVOs.
FAITS MARQUANTS
T
74
he partnership was led by a
French-Italian consortium, represented by the DGAL and France
Vétérinaire International (FVI) on the
French side and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo de Teramo
on the Italian side. Its aim was to enable
effective management of animal health
and the safety of animal food products,
a reduction in the incidence of animal
diseases and an improvement in the official health status of Tunisia, as well as
promoting commercial trade in animals
and products of animal origin.
With a budget of over €2 million funded
by the European Commission, over 50
French, Italian and Spanish experts lent
their expertise to the project, which was
managed and coordinated by a DGAL adviser on site and a project manager from
the CGAAER on the French side.
The outcome of the twinning exercise
was positive insofar as it helped respond
to specific needs, namely developing the
zoosanitary intelligence and surveillance
capacity of the CNVZ, proposed a new legislative framework, defined a list of prio-
rity diseases to monitor and developed a
strategic plan for the next five years.
It also strengthens the long-term relationship between France and Tunisia in
the health and plant health areas, following on from two other joint exercises
in which the Ministry of Agriculture was
involved, in 2006 and 2008, in the areas
of animal and plant health respectively.
It also supplements the actions taken in
the area of training veterinary officers
with the ENSV.
Imports:
sharing practices
between the
major European
border posts
Animals and plants that enter the European Union are subject to controls
that aim to avoid introducing plant or
animal diseases into Europe. These
are implemented by the DGAL’s Veterinary and Phytosanitary Border Inspection Service (SIVEP).
O
nce products have been accepted, they can circulate freely
within the whole of the European
Union. It is therefore important to ensure
that all controls are implemented in the
same way at all of the EU’s border posts.
Two meetings, one for border inspection
posts (BIPs) at ports in the European
Union, which are responsible for monitoring animals and products of animal
origin, and the other for community entry
points (CEPs), which are responsible for
plant controls, took place in June 2014.
Subjects such as import regulations on
composite products, changes to regulations wanted by certain Member states
(such as trans-shipment lead times),
emerging problems (e.g. antibiotic resistance and national case law on a decision
to re-dispatch a consignment because of
the absence of an authorisation number),
and diverging interpretations of the regulations were addressed with the BIPs.
Plant
imports
The DGAL took the initiative to bring
together, for the first time, the CEPs
of several Member States and Switzerland whose control system is integrated with the European Union’s system
in order to share experiences regarding
both national technical instructions and
their practical application at CEPs.
S
Clarifying
the regulations
for travellers
ince 21 January 2015, a new order has specified the quantities of
plants and plant products that can
be brought back in travellers’ personal
baggage. Until then, article 35 of the order of 24 May 2006 provided exemptions
from plant health controls for “small
quantities of plants destined for use by
75
risk of introducing parasites into the European Union. Only fruits and vegetables
(excluding potatoes and citrus fruits) and
stems of leafy vegetables or cut flowers
can be brought back in baggage, subject
to the maximum allowances stated. The
latter are set at 5 kg or five units for fruits
and vegetables (whichever is the more
favourable) and a total of 15 stems for
leafy vegetables, aromatic plants or cut
flowers.
FAITS MARQUANTS
Mayotte joins
the European Union
as an “outermost region”
76
Mayotte became a French département in 2011 and underwent further changes
when it joined the European Union on 1 January 2014. Mayotte now benefits
from the exemption scheme available to outermost regions (OMR) under European regulations.
I
n terms of import controls on products of animal origin from third
countries, Mayotte has had an authorised point of entry since May 2014. The
scope of exemption from the requirements of a mainland border inspection
post is limited to border post facilities
(European regulations on health condi-
tions for imports remain in effect). In
return, measures are taken to ensure
that imported products are not shipped
on to the French mainland or the rest
of the European Union. Furthermore,
Brussels has granted the archipelago of
202,000 inhabitants a period of time to
allow it to implement certain directives.
©Cheick Saidou/Min.Agri.Fr
their owner or recipient for non-industrial
and non-commercial purposes or to be
consumed during transport” but without
specifying exact quantities, which led to
potential confusion. The new order therefore clarifies the situation. It should be
noted that the order strictly prohibits
bringing in soil and certain types of
plant, in particular those intended for
planting (container-grown plants, grafts
and cuttings) which might pose a serious
Aerial view of the island of Mayotte.
Compliance with cage-size standards
for laying hens has been deferred until
2017, for example, and with abattoir requirements until 2021. Fishing also benefits from an exemption that will allow
it to modernise and develop its fleet of
longliners by 2025.
Conviction for attempted
illegal import of plant products
In June 2014, an importer was given a suspended fine of €15,000 by a court in Paris for attempting to illegally import
plants subject to plant health controls. Illegal imports can be punished by a fine of €75,000 and two years’ imprisonment.
I
mport controls are designed to avoid harmful
organisms from being introduced into the European
Union (for example, to avoid
situations comparable to the
introduction of phylloxera,
which ravaged vineyards and
ruined the wine-growing eco-
nomy). The importer had tried
to avoid plant health controls
on 11 parcels of basil and bitter cucumber in a batch of
plants and vegetables arriving
at Roissy airport in December
2012. The products had been
imported from Vietnam and
are so called “at-risk” goods
that have to be blocked and
destroyed by incineration on a
regular basis after a negative
inspection. Although the batch in question was free from
live harmful organisms, the
basil leaves showed signs of
parasite infestation (mining
by Agromyzidae).
Opening of the new
animal reception centre
at Roissy
Roissy animal reception centre in July 2014.
Commercial imports of live
animals into the European
Union must be inspected at
an animal reception centre.
Batches of animals are
inspected by staff at the
border inspection post at
Roissy in a new reception
centre that has the personnel and equipment needed
to handle and care for animals.
The French Ministry of Agriculture decided to restrict
the centre’s authorisation
following an audit by the European Commission in 2008.
The project to build a new
animal reception centre was
launched in 2009, although
work only began in August
2012. Work on the area for receiving and inspecting wildlife
is now complete.
77
Stricter controls
on imported plants
The DGAL has put forward a proposal for more extensive controls on imported
plants, which is currently under discussion within the Council of the European
Union.
A
draft of a new regulation on plant
health is currently under negotiation within the European Union.
The draft does not introduce any significant changes to the current system of
import controls in the European Union
for plants and plant products from third
countries. However, the system has some
serious failings, essentially because it
ignores a large quantity of plants: over
70% are not checked, although no previous research has shown that they do
not present a danger to plant health.
FAITS MARQUANTS
As a consequence, numerous new parasites have been introduced into the
78
European Union in recent years, which
is extremely damaging to both the environment and agriculture. For example,
the fly Drosophila suzukii, originally from
Asia, which is now causing severe problems for vines, was undoubtedly introduced with fruit, many species of which
are not controlled.
This is why France, with the support of
six other Member States, is asking for a
preventive approach to be taken, which
would consist of assessments by European Union experts of all import sectors
before their entry into the EU was authorised.
Opening up
of markets:
success
stories
T
he DGAL has had several successes with negotiations it has led
to lift health and plant health barriers on exports.
In Taiwan in particular, with poultry
meat and poultry meat-based products,
including foie gras in December 2014.
This was preceded by the opening up of
the pork market in March 2014 and was
made possible by signing an agricultural
cooperation agreement that paves the
way for collaboration on areas of common interest, such as regionalisation in
the event of outbreaks of animal origin,
or e-certification.
Algeria announced that imports
of live cattle from France were again
permitted to mark the launch of a partnership
between the French and Algerian veterinary
services in Algiers in October 2014.
Reopening of markets
... with Russia
T
he Russian authorities have lifted –
subject to conditions – an embargo of February 2012 on live cattle
and their genetic material from countries
affected by Schmallenberg virus. The
decision followed bilateral negotiations
between French and Russian CVOs for
over two years, ending in a technical
agreement in July 2013 and a “trial” re-
turn to cattle exports. Thanks to the bilateral agreement, over 2,000 French
cattle have been able to be exported to
Russia during the trial with excellent results; extending the conditions agreed
by France and Russia to all European exports would enable a significant increase
in exports to Russia.
Moreover, active negotiations are continuing to try to secure a lifting of the
health and political embargos imposed
in January and August 2014 respectively,
and which are having a significant economic impact on the French and European
animal and plant sectors.
... with Algeria
In October 2014, Algeria announced that imports of live cattle from France were again permitted.
I
mports had been suspended in July
following the appearance of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease,
which had forced Algeria to limit the
movements of vulnerable animals whilst
the health situation stabilised. Thanks
to a mass vaccination campaign, to
which the European Union and France
contributed by providing doses of footand-mouth disease vaccines, the Alge-
rian veterinary services were able to
control the spread of the disease and
announced the return to imports of live
cattle on 13 October.
... with the United States
T
he market for French apples and
pears reopened following the
signature of a bilateral agreement in July 2014. The first exports
took place in December 2014. The authorisation process for new sites ac-
credited by the USDA (United States
Department of Agriculture) has also
restarted, allowing exports of Bayonne
ham and other cured pork products to
the United States.
Another development is that, following a
mission to Ankara, in October, conditions
for obtaining a health certificate for Turkey
have been made less stringent, prompting
a return to exports of live cattle.
79
©Cheick Saidou/Min.Agri.Fr
ZHI Shuping, Minister for Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), and Stéphane Le Foll.
France – China: progress in agricultural
cooperation and exports of French
processed food products
FAITS MARQUANTS
Minister Stéphane Le Foll visited Beijing and Shanghai (SIAL) from the 11 to 13 of May 2014. The trip followed up
from the Chinese President’s visit to France in March, to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two
countries.
80
H
ealth issues were very much at the
top of the agenda for the minister’s
visit, which included a delegation
from the DGAL led by its Director General.
Along with the Minister for the General
Authority for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), Stéphane
Le Foll addressed issues of access to the
market for agricultural and processed
food products and recent progress in the
cured meats sector, with authorisation
pending for three French businesses, and
powdered milk for babies. The meeting
also marked the end of a dispute that
had blocked exports of French horses
for around a year, thanks to the signature of a revised protocol by the Chinese
and French ministers. The first exports of
horses to China were able to take place
in December 2014.
A food safety seminar was also organised in Beijing, attended by the DGAL,
and provided an opportunity to promote
French expertise in relation to traceability, as an essential means of ensuring
and controlling food safety. China, which
is embarking on a fundamental reform
programme to implement a food traceability system is keen to develop its cooperation with France, particularly in respect
of dairy products. A major delegation of
French professionals from the cured pork
products sector was also present at SIAL
in Shanghai.
Training for
veterinary officials:
an all-new summer school
Opening up the Chinese market to French
cured pork products is the fruit of long negotiations led by the DGAL. Thanks to the
health protocols negotiated, France will
be the first country to be allowed to
export a very wide range of cooked and
dried cured pork products to China. In
the animal health area, the lifting of restrictions on exports of French products
in relation to Newcastle disease, bird flu
and Schmallenberg was discussed and
negotiations are continuing. The DGAL is
also keen to see the lifting of the BSE embargo, which no longer has any scientific
justification since the OIE granted France
“controlled risk” status in May 2008. A bilateral working group is scheduled to meet
in Beijing in March 2015.
T
he École Nationale des Services
Vétérinaires (ENSV), an OIE
partner centre for training veterinary officials, has been welcoming officials from France’s partner countries
for around 15 years (over 70 people to
date, notably from Algeria, Morocco and
Tunisia) in the context of the training
provided to French civil servants before
they take up their post as veterinary officials. The initiative, set up with financial
support from the Ministry of Agriculture
and/or the Ministry for International Development, is part of our ministry’s international strategic plan.
Whilst it helps to bridge the gap between
the relevant authorities in France and
its partners, until 2014 it was limited to
French-speaking countries. English-speaking countries that were impressed by
the French training model were keen to
take advantage of it in relation to capacity-building for their own veterinary services, with requests received from the
authorities in Hong Kong and China, in
particular.
From 2 June to 4 July 2014, eight executives form the veterinary services in
seven countries (Serbia, Brazil, Turkey,
China, Hong Kong, Egypt and Lebanon)
took part in the training course on food
safety, delivered entirely in English and
developed by the ENSV, with the support
of France Vétérinaire International (FVI).
The programme consisted of five weeks
of training, including theory sessions,
field visits and a study trip at the end of
the course.
The programme will run again in 2015, on
the theme of animal health and welfare.
81
The DGAL in figures
Inspections and controls carried out in 2014
The DGAL consists of 4,800 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff along with 14,000 State-registered public-health veterinarians,
30 expert national laboratories and 150 specialist analytical laboratories, mostly at the departmental level.
Import inspections
IMPORTED FOODSTUFFS
NUMBER OF BATCHES INSPECTED
NUMBER OF BATCHES REJECTED
Animals and animal products
46,000
400
Plants and plant products
47,000
800
Annual surveillance programme for contamination of primary products, foodstuffs
and animal feed
TESTS CARRIED
OUT IN 2013
NON-COMPLIANT TESTS
in 2013
TESTS SCHEDULED
FOR 2014
62,300
202
65,000
Physico-chemical contaminants*
in animal production
51,100
69
49,000
Biological contaminants and toxins**
in animal production
5,000
39
6,500
800
68
1,600
Contaminants in animal feed
1,800
18
1,800
Contaminants in products imported
from third countries
1,600
8
3-5 % des lots importés
Antibiotic resistance in commensal
and zoonotic bacteria
2,000
-
4,300
TOTAL of which:
FAITS MARQUANTS
Residues of plant health products
in primary vegetable production
82
* veterinary medicines, anabolic substances, banned substances, environmental and industrial contaminants.
** bacteria (salmonella, E. coli STEC, etc.) viruses and parasites.
The results of the 2014 campaign will be available in the PSPC 2014 review, to be published in September 2015.
Animal health and protection inspections
Number
of inspections
Follow-ups
TOTAL of which:
18,750
400 notices
to remedy
9,400
farm health inspections
4,500
animal transport
3,000
salmonella
9,700
domestic pets
1,600
identification
3,000
Animal protection
Number of inspections
Follow-ups
TOTAL of which:
16,000
700 notices
to remedy
farm animals
Public health on farms
equids
700
veterinary pharmacy 750
animal experimentation
300
animal by-products
350
abattoir inspections
950
animal feed
225
reproduction
225
Plant quality and protection inspections
These inspections are designed to check the conditions under which plant health products are used and distributed.
Number
of inspections
TOTAL of which:
6,600
Inspections of users of plant health products
6,000
Inspections of plant health products at distribution stage
600
Hygiene compliance inspections
400
Inspections for issuance of European plant health passports
1,800
Food safety inspections
Number
of inspections
Follow-ups
TOTAL of which:
78,000
14,550
slaughter*, processing
and warehouse sites
25,000
2,900
institutional food services
17,000
2,800
commercial catering outlets
15,000
5,800
shops
12,000
3,000
documentary inspections
9,000
50
of which
Warnings
Notices to remedy
Total or partial
closures
Statements
of offence
8,800
4,100
550
1,100
* this only includes annual inspections of slaughterhouses where the departments also carry out ongoing inspections.
83
Publication director
Patrick Dehaumont
Editorial
French Directorate General for Food
Design and coordination
Actions and strategy promotion task force (MIVAS)
Graphic design and production
Studio Agnès Cappadoro
www.studio-agnescappadoro.com
Photo credits
• French Ministry of Agriculture, Agro-Food and Forestry
• French Directorate General for Food
251, rue de Vaugirard - 75732 Paris cedex 15
• iStockPhoto
This publication was produced with vegetable inks on PEFC paper from 100% fairly managed forests.
April 2015
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