BETTER TRAINING FOR SAFER FOOD (13371/06)
Letter from the Chairman to Caroline Flint
MP, Minister of State for Public Health, Department of Health
At its meeting of 30 November 2006, Sub Committee
G considered the above documents and your accompanying Explanatory
Memorandum dated October 2006.
We support the principle of a Community Strategy
on Training in this field as long as it is appropriately justified.
In terms of the methodology chosen, we have some concerns that
the Commission appears to be focusing on the executive agency
option and would agree that this requires further justification,
in addition to some more information on the costs and benefits
of the other options.
Since our scrutiny of the Commission's proposed
options for a training strategy for feed and food law, animal
health, animal welfare and plant health law will depend to some
degree on what are the current arrangements for such training
in the UK, please would you send us a summary of those UK arrangements.
The possibility of establishing an executive
agency would appear to rest on whether the training strategy can
be defined as a "Programme" within the meaning of Regulation
58/2003. We would be grateful if you could provide use with your
views on this matter and whether you are aware if the European
Parliament and/or other Member States will express reservations
at this stage regarding the proposal for an executive agency.
We will retain the Strategy under scrutiny,
pending your views on the above points and in the light of further
information from the Commission once any additional cost-benefit
analysis has been undertaken.
6 December 2006
Letter from Caroline Flint MP to the Chairman
I refer to your letter of 6 December 2006 concerning
the above Commission Communication, which was considered at the
meeting of Sub Committee G on 30 November 2006. You indicated
that you would retain this under scrutiny pending my views on
a number of points and until further information is available
from the Commission. These points are addressed below. In doing
so, I have taken account of some additional information provided
by the Commission at the end of 2006 when, under the auspices
of the Finnish Presidency, it presented its Communication at Chief
Veterinary Officer and Expert Group level.
CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS
FOR TRAINING
OF OFFICIAL
CONTROL STAFF
IN THE
UK
The Committee has asked for a summary of current
arrangements in the UK for training staff undertaking official
controls. This is appended (not printed) and I hope that it is
helpful in informing the Committee's consideration of the Commission
proposal.
MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATION OF
FUTURE "BETTER
TRAINING FOR
SAFER FOOD"
PROGRAMMES
The Committee has also asked about whether the
"Better Training for Safer Food" strategy may be considered
as a "programme" within the context of Council Regulation
58/2003.[118]
The training programmes and courses under the strategy constitute
activities that the Commission has budgetary authorisation to
implement (see below), and the aim is to promote a more consistent
approach to official controls by the staff of the competent authorities
in the different Member States (thereby safeguarding public health
and consumer interests). In light of this, I believe that the
Commission is justified in proposing that an executive agency
be responsible for organising and operating future programes and
courses under the strategy.
The Commission's favoured option is to extend
the mandate of its Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme
but it has been made clear that no decision has yet been taken.
The Commission appears to now accept that the proposed cost-benefit
analysis should examine not just the favoured option but also
at least some of the other options identified in its Communication.
The intention is to commission and conduct the cost-benefit analysis
during the early part of 2007. The chosen option is not expected
to be in place before early 2008.
TRAINING PRIORITIES
As regards training priorities, the Commission
has confirmed that it intends to develop a robust mechanism for
consultation with the Member States such that these may be agreed
and in order to make sure that the programmes under the training
strategy complement rather than duplicate those at national level.
This is welcomed and the UK will participate fully in such consultations.
PLANT HEALTH
Although plant health is not covered by the
same legal basis as feed and food and animal health and welfare,
the Commission believes that it should be included within the
scope of the training strategy as the aim of more consistent controls
across the EU is just as relevent in this sector. As before, we
are not opposed in principle to this but will continue to press
for consultation through the Standing Committee on Plant Health.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
As regards funding of the annual "Better
Training for Safer Food" programmes, the Commission confirmed
that this has already been taken into account within the Community
budget agreed for the period to 2013 and that there will be no
transfer of funds from other budget lines. As regards the costs
for establishing an executive agency to organise and manage the
programmes in the future, estimates will be clearer when the cost-benefit
analysis is complete.
COUNCIL AND
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
CONSIDERATION
As the Communication is for information only
and political agreement to the Commission's plans is not required
(as it already has powers to establish executive agencies in order
to implement Community programmes), the Finnish Presidency did
not take it to the Council (and the German Presidency is not expected
to either). At Chief Veterinary Officer and Expert Group level,
the Member States were, in general, supportive of "Better
Training for Safer Food" but, like the UK, wished to be kept
abreast of developments as regards the cost-benefit analysis for
the organisation and operation of future programmes under this
strategy. The Commission agreed to this and a progress report
is expected in February 2007 with a final report when the work
is completed.
The Communication was also sent to the European
Parliament but discussion of it is not expected.
17 January 2007
Letter from the Chairman to Caroline Flint
MP
Thank you for your letter of 17 January. This
was considered by Sub-Committee G on 8 February.
The information you provide is helpful and answers
most of the questions I raised in my previous letter of 6 December
2006. In particular, we note your view that the Commission's proposal—to
establish an executive agency to organise and manage the planned
training programme—is justified under the terms of Council
Regulation 58/2003. We note also your view that the Commission
already has the power to establish such an executive agency, and
that it will not need to seek political agreement in Council for
this.
We see it as most important that the Commission's
cost-benefit analysis of the case for an executive agency, and
of alternative options, is completed satisfactorily and that the
costs it reveals are proportionate. We encourage you to give careful
attention to this analysis.
We are content to clear this information item
from scrutiny and request that you keep us informed about the
results of the cost benefit analysis.
8 February 2007
118 Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 laying down
the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain
tasks in the management of Community programmes. Official Journal
L 11, 16.1.2003, 1-8. Back
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