Doc. No: 01-2600-D
Ref. No: / VET604.400.025
FINAL
REPORT OF A MISSION
CARRIED OUT IN
NORWAY
FROM 15 JANUARY TO 19 JANUARY 2001
IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE APPLICATION OF COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/46/EEC LAYING DOWN THE HEALTH RULES FOR THE PRODUCTION AND PLACING ON THE MARKET OF
MILK AND MILK-BASED PRODUCTS
Please note that the comments to the factual content from the Norwegian Authorities have been included in the body of the text or as footnotes in bold italic print. In addition statements with regard to measures taken to remedy deficiencies have been included in an addendum.
Rue de Trèves 74, B-1040 Brussels, Tel: (+32 2) 286 18 11, Fax: (+32 2) 286 18 00
Internet:
Homepage: www.efta.int
TABLE OF CONTENTS page
1 Introduction 3
2 Objectives of the mission 3
3 Legal basis for the mission 3
4 Background 4
Milk production 4
Health information 5
Legislation 6
5 Findings 6
5.1 The organisation of the Competent Authority 6
5.2 The co-ordination of the Competent Authority 8
5.3 The inspection program for the holdings 10
5.4 The inspection program of the establishments made by the KNTs 10
5.5 The approval of the establishments 11
5.6 The official sampling plans 12
5.7 The laboratory network 13
5.8 The holdings as inspected by the mission team 15
5.9 The system of raw milk quality control 15
5.10 The milk processing establishments 16
6 Conclusions 19
6.1 The Competent Authority 19
6.2 Approval of establishments 20
6.3 The official sampling plan 20
6.4 The official laboratory network 20
6.5 The holdings 21
6.6 The system of raw milk quality control 21
6.7 The milk processing establishments 22
6.8 Final conclusion 22
7 Recommendations 23
8 Addendum 24
1. Introduction
The mission took place in Norway from 15 of January to 19 of January 2001. The mission team comprised one inspector from the Goods Department in the EFTA Surveillance Authority (the Authority) and an observer from the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the European Commission. The mission was undertaken as part of the Authority’s inspection programme.
The inspection team was during mission by two representatives from the Norwegian Food Control Authority, Statens naeringsmiddeltilsyn (SNT).
An opening meeting was held on 15 January 2001 with SNT where also representatives from the Norwegian animal health authority (SDT) and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs were present. At this meeting, the inspection team confirmed the objectives of and the itinerary for the mission, and additional information required from Norwegian Authorities for satisfactory completion of the mission was requested.
A final meeting was held on 19 January 2001 where the preliminary main conclusions were presented.
2. Objectives of the mission
The of the mission to carry out evaluation of the application of Council Directive 92/46/EEC laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products in Norway. This evaluation is based on the performance of the official services in charge of the application of this Directive and the analysis of the actions that have been taken according to a risk analysis. In order to assess the action of the local control official services, visits to several establishments, holdings and laboratories chosen in collaboration with the competent authorities were carried out.
This was the mission undertaken to Norway for this purpose.
The mission team visited the Central competent authority in Oslo and five local control authorities (Hedemarken, Tromsø, Balsfjord, Sør-Innherred and Innherred). The national reference laboratory, which was situated in Oslo and one regional raw milk laboratory in Brumunddal were also visited. Two bovine holdings, one in Hedmark and the other in Nord-Trøndelag and one caprine holding in Balsfjord were visited. Finally four establishments with full approval and one with limited approval, all within the area of responsibility of the five local authorities, were visited during the week.
3. Legal basis for the mission
The mission was carried out under point 4 of the introductory part of Annex I to the EEA Agreement and, in particular:
· The Act referred to in point 1.2.74 of Chapter 1 of Annex I to the EEA Agreement (Commission Decision 98/139/EC of 4 February 1998 laying down certain detailed rules concerning on-the-spot checks carried out in the veterinary field by Commission experts in the Member States).
· The Act referred to in point 6.1.11 of Chapter 1 of Annex I to the EEA Agreement (Council Directive 92/46/EEC of 16 June 1992 laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk based products).
4. Background
The milk production
According to information from the Competent Authority in Norway.
Cows
The total production of cows milk in 1999: 1.631 million litres.
The average production per holding: 71.846 litres
Number of holdings: 22.698
Number of dairy cows: 322.791
Average annual production: 6.108 kg
Trend over the last ten years:
1989 / 1992 / 1995 / 1996 / 1997 / 1998 / 1999Total production (mill litres) / 1835 / 1784 / 1712 / 1686 / 1682 / 1664 / 1634
Production, average per holding (1000 l) / 65 / 65 / 66 / 66 / 67 / 69 / 72
Number of dairy cows (1000) / 341 / 338 / 321 / 322 / 326 / 322 / 323
Average annual production per cow (l) / 6300 / 6300 / 6300 / 6300 / 6200 / 6200 / 6100
Geographical distribution of the milk production 1999 (1000 l):
Eastern Norway: 393 000
Southern Norway: 338 000
Western Norway: 274 000
Middle Norway: 457 000
Northern Norway: 169 000
Goats
The total production of goats milk in 1999: 21,2 million litres.
Number of holdings: 731
Number of dairy cows (goats): 53.477
Trend over the last ten years:
1989 / 1992 / 1995 / 1996 / 1997 / 1998 / 1999Total production (mill. l) / 25,6 / 25,0 / 24,3 / 23,7 / 22,9 / 22,2 / 21,2
Production, average per holding (1000 l) / 26,2 / 26,7 / 27,0 / 26,7 / 26,9 / 27,9 / 29,0
Number of dairy goats (1000) / 68 / 65 / 58 / 57 / 59 / 56 / 54
Average annual production per goat (l) / 556 / 541 / 572 / 564 / 553 / 559 / 556
Production, importation and exportation in 1999 (tonnes):
Production / Export / ImportLiquid milk / 607.000 / 30 / -
Powdered milk / 13.541 / 1.877 / -
Butter / 13.817 / 5.971 / -
Cream / 20.000 / - / -
Fermented milk / 78.810 / - / n.a.
Cheese / 77.381 / 22.356 / 3.069
Casein/caseinates / 2.049 / 1.100 / -
Ice cream / 53.000 (1000 litres) / 2.245 (1000 litres) / 3.474 (1000 litres)
Whey / n.a. / 74 / -
The Norwegian CA has approved the following number of establishments:
Type of establishments / Number / CommentsWithout derogation / 102
With derogation under / Art. 11 of Dir. 92/46/EEC for establishments with limited production / 12 / Production limit 500.000 l pr. year
Art. 8 (2) of Dir. 92/46/EEC for products with traditional characteristics / None
Total / 114
On-farm production with direct sale and not authorised / Not known / The KNTs has approved a number of these.
The Norwegian milk industry is dominated by a co-operative industrial group, which produces and markets about 95% of the milk and milk products in Norway. The group produces and markets all milk products except ice cream. There are two smaller groups producing from 4-5% of the raw milk produced in Norway.
Norway is basically self supplied with milk and milks products and its industry is protected against competition from foreign operators in the market by a national customs regime making it generally uninteresting economically to export to Norway. However as the consumers preferences are changing and diversifying and the consumption of liquid milk is in decline, there is a surplus of milk and milks products produced. There is also a customers demand for products not available from domestic producers.
Health information
Animal health situation
According to the SDT the status in 1999 was that Bovine brucellosis had been eradicated in 1953 and small ruminant brucellosis had never been recorded in Norway. Bovine tuberculosis was last recorded in a single herd in 1986. Norway is currently considered free of foot and mouth disease. The last outbreak was in 1952.
Public health situation
The official body responsible for co-ordinating the epidemiosurveillance network is the Norwegian Zoonosis Centre, which was set up at the Veterinary Institute in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in 1999. According to SNT, diseases related to consumption of food are not compulsory to be declared in Norway as there is no legal basis for it. However the system of surveillance is working well on a voluntary basis.
According to information given by SNT the number of confirmed foodborne diseases linked to consumption of dairy products are as follows:
1993 / 1994 / 1995 / 1996 / 1997 / 1998 / 19992 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 0 / 1 / 0
Legislation
In August 1999 the Authority had received notification of the Acts referred to in points 5.1.4, 6.1.11, 8.1.13, 6.2.5 and 6.2.6 of Chapter I of Annex I of the EEA Agreement laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat treated milk and milk based products (Council Directive 92/46/EEC), on the general conditions of hygiene in milk production holdings (Commission Directive 89/362/EEC) and establishing the detailed rules for carrying out checks to ensure that the freezing point of untreated milk laid down in Annex A to Directive 85/397/EEC is complied with (Council Directive 89/384/EEC).
The Authority sent the results of a conformity assessment of the relevant national legislation to Norway in August 2000.
These Directives have been applicable in Norway since 1 July 1994.
5. Findings
5.1 The organisation of the Competent Authority (CA)
The central level, SNT and SDT
SNT, which is the Directorate with the overall responsibility of the application of the milk directive, has a central office in Oslo with 104 employees. There are two regional offices with 6 employees, and one County Governor’s Office for Food Control with 4 employees. The local level of 81 food control units (KNT), including 65 mostly accredited laboratories, owned and governed by the 435 municipalities is performing all the enforcement of the food legislation in all fields of food production and handling in Norway. This also includes milk establishments. The only exception is the establishments producing and handling fish for export out of Norway.
Since the KNTs are part of the local administration, the employees do not take direct instructions from SNT.[1] The work in the KNTs in general is based on regulations where the local authorities themselves make the over all prioritisation. To improve the efficiency of this system SNT is, on the basis of annual contracts granting direct economic compensation for the work performed, obliging the KNTs to perform the work as competent authority under the milk directive. There was no system of regular and flexible reporting and instructing between SNT and KNT concerning the application of the Directive. As this was not the case, it is difficult to foresee how SNT can guarantee the uniform application of Council Directive 92/46/EEC in Norway.
SDT has a central office in Oslo with 36 employees, a regional level with nine offices with 60 employees and a local level with 200 individual officers, some full time district veterinarians (DVI) and some part time (DVII). All are government employees.
All decisions, a part from the decision to approve and withdraw approvals of establishments, are delegated from SNT to the 81 KNTs. The supervision of the holdings is delegated to the DVs, who are the local officers of the SDT. The powers to take decisions regarding the holdings are not delegated. In case of infringement the DV therefore has to report to the relevant KNT and the decision has to be taken there[2].
The two Directorates (SNT and SDT) are functioning differently. Both are Directorates under the Ministry of Agriculture. Although SNT is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and is receiving instructions from this ministry on a number of veterinary issues, it is also receiving instructions from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in the cases concerning issues based on the food law. In Norway the food law is the legal basis for the regulations implementing i.a. the milk directive (92/46/EC).
Within the SNT, the dairy sector is dealt with in one of the units in the department of food control. In this section eight staff members are employed whereof two with a Master degree of Food Science (one of them part time) are assigned to the work of approval, listing and auditing of milk establishments. The questions concerning residues, including milk, is the responsibility of another unit in this department, whereas questions concerning labelling are the responsibility of a unit in the department for food legislation.