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Doc. No: 01-4328-D
Ref. No: VET 604.400.002
FINAL REPORT FROM A MISSION
CARRIED OUT BY THE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY TO
NORWAY
FROM 26 FEBRUARY TO 2 MARCH 2001
FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSESSING THE APPLICATION OF
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 77/99/EEC,
COUNCIL DIRCTIVE 94/65/EC,
AND OTHER ACTS RELATING TO MEAT PRODUCTS, MINCED MEAT,
MEAT PREPARATIONS AND PROCESSED CASINGS
Please note that comments from the Norwegian Authorities to factual errors have been included in bold, italic print in the body of the report.
Comments providing additional information or expressing their view on particular issues are included as footnotes in bold, italic print.
Contents
/Page
1
/Introduction
/4
2
/Objectives of the mission
/4
3
/Legal basis for the mission
/5
4
/Background
4.1 Reference to previous missions4.2 Production and trade information /
5
55
5
/Legislation
/6
6
/Main findings
6.1 The competent authorities6.1.1 Organisation of SNT
6.1.2 Organisation of KNT
6.1.3 Co-ordination between SNT and KNT
6.1.4 Independence and resources
6.1.5 Recruitment and training
6.1.6 Prioritisation of controls / Reporting procedures
6.2 Veterinary supervision of meat product, minced meat and meat preparation establishments
6.2.1 Approval procedure and suspension / withdrawal of approval
of establishments
6.2.2 Control in the establishment
6.2.2.1 Central level
6.2.2.2 Local level
6.2.2.3 Health marking
6.2.3 Veterinary supervision of own-check systems and staff
training programmes
6.3 Visit to meat product establishments
6.3.1 Structure and layout
6.3.2 Installation and equipment
6.3.3 Maintenance and cleaning
6.3.4 Operational hygiene
6.3.5 Traceability
6.4 Certificates and trade documents
6.5 Residues /
7
7
1014
16
16
7
/Conclusions
7.1 The competent authority7.2 Veterinary supervision of meat product, minced meat and meat
preparation establishments
7.3 Visit to meat product establishments
7.4 Certificates and trade documents
7.5 Residues /
16
16
17
18
19
19
8
/Recommendations to the competent authority of Norway
/19
9
/Addendum to the mission report
/20
1 Introduction
The mission to Norway took place from 26 February to 2 March 2001. The mission team comprised one inspector from the EFTA Surveillance Authority[1] and one observer from the Food and Veterinary Office of the European Commission.
An opening meeting was held on 26 February with the Competent Authority (CA), which is the Norwegian Food Control Authority (SNT). A representative from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs was also present. The Authority’s inspector confirmed the objectives of and the itinerary for the mission. The Norwegian representatives submitted additional information required for the satisfactory completion of the mission.
The mission team was accompanied throughout the mission by representatives from SNT and representatives from the Local Food Control Authorities (KNT). During the visit of the casings establishment and one meat product plant a representative from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs was present. In each establishment a summary of the observations made by the Authority during the visit was presented, on which the representatives from the CA as well the establishment had an opportunity to comment.
A final meeting was held on 2 March 2001 at SNT in Oslo where the Authority’s inspector presented the main findings and conclusions of the mission to the SNT’s representatives and a representative from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs who took note of them.
2 Objectives of the mission
The main objective of the mission was to check the application by the Norwegian Competent Authority of the requirements laid down in the Council Directives 77/99/EEC, 94/65/EC and 92/118/EEC and other acts relating to meat products, minced meat, meat preparations and processed casings.
During the mission the following sites were visited (table 1):
Food processing establishments / Number / CommentsMeat product plants / 2 / With integrated cutting plants, both approved also for the production of minced meat for the national market.
Meat product plant producing products with a meat content of less than 10% / 1 / No other production.
Casing establishment / 1 / No comment.
Temperature controlled stores / 2 / Integrated in the establishments.
3 Legal basis for the missions
The legal basis for the mission is laid down in point 6.1.4 of Chapter I of Annex I to the EEA Agreement on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in meat products (Council Directive 77/99/EEC) as amended by Council Directive 92/118/EEC, the Act referred to in point 6.1.6 of Chapter I of Annex I to the EEA Agreement laying down the requirements for the production and placing on the market of minced meat and meat preparations (Council Directive 94/65/EC) and the Act referred to in part 1.2.74 of Chapter I of Annex I to that Agreement, laying down certain detailed rules concerning on-the-spot checks carried out in the veterinary field by Commission experts in the Member States (Commission Decision 98/139/EC).
In addition an assessment was made on the application of the requirements laid down in the act referred to in point 1.1.9 of Chapter I of Annex I to the EEA Agreement, laying down the certification of animals and animal products (Council Directive 96/93/EC).[2]
4 Background for the mission
4.1 Reference to previous mission
The Authority carried out two missions in the same field in 1997, which included visits to 11 meat processing plants located throughout Norway. This was the first mission on meat products, minced meat and meat preparations where a more detailed assessment of the performance of the CA was undertaken. It was the first time that a casing establishment was visited.
In December 2000 a mission concerning fresh meat (Council Directive 64/433/EEC) had been carried out. In this report reference will be made to the final report from that mission (Doc. No. 01-1794-D[3]), which will be available to the public on the Authority’s homepage.
4.2 Production and trade information
In the answer to the Authority’s pre-mission questionnaire, the Norwegian CA submitted the following statistical information for 1999:
Norway imported altogether 1323 tons of meat products, minced meat and meat preparations from the EU (mainly Denmark and Sweden) and some third countries (mainly Brazil and Argentina).
Altogether 1155 tons of meat products, minced meat and meat preparations were produced for the EEA market. The main countries of destination were Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Denmark and France.
For the national market 223153 tons of meat products, minced meat and meat preparations were produced.
5 Legislation
Council Directive 77/99/EEC has been applicable to Norway since 1 January 1994.
Council Directive 96/65/EC has been applicable to Norway since 1 January 1999.
Council Directive 92/118/EC has been applicable to Norway since 1 July 1994.
In an answer to the pre-mission questionnaire the Authority was informed that the relevant EC-Directives, which are included in the EEA Agreement, relating to meat products, minced meat and meat preparations have been transposed into Norwegian law as follows:
· Council Directive 77/99/EEC on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in meat products:
- Lov om kjøttproduksjon (Meat production act), LOV 1997-01-10.
- Forskrift om hygiene ved produksjon og frambud m.v. av kjøttprodukter og enkelte andre produkter av animalsk opprinnelse (Regulations on the hygienic production and placing on the market etc. of meat products and some other products of animal origin), FOR 1995-04-06 353 and amended 1998-12-23 1473.
- Forskrift om identifikasjonsmerking av næringsmiddelpartier (Regulations on the lot identification of food), FOR 1993-12-21 1384 and amended 1997-01-15 75.
· Council Directive 94/65/EC laying down the requirements for the production and placing on the market of minced meat and meat preparations:
- Lov om kjøttproduksjon (Meat production act), LOV 1997-01- 10.
- Forskrift om krav til kvernet kjøtt og tilberedt kjøtt og hygiene ved produksjon m.v. (Regulations laying down the requirements for the production etc. of minced meat and meat preparations), FOR 1998-12-12 1470 and amended 1999-10-17 1190.
- Forskrift om identifikasjonsmerking av næringsmiddelpartier (Regulations on the lot identification of food), FOR 1993-12-21 1384 and amended 1997-01-15 75.
· The following Norwegian regulations are applicable both to meat products and meat preparations (and minced meat), thus transposing parts of both Directives:
- Forskrift om kjøttråvarer og kjøttprodukter (Regulation on raw materials and
meat products), FOR 1983-02-18 150 and amended 1996-02-18 199.
- Forskrift om produkter framstilt av blandinger av findelte animalske råvarer eller
blandinger av findelte animalske og vegetabilske råvarer (Regulations on
products produced from mixtures of minced animal raw materials or mixtures of
minced animal and vegetable raw materials), FOR 1983-02-18 151 and amended
1996-02-18 200.
- Forskrift om merking m.v. av næringsmidler (Regulations on the labelling etc. of
foodstuffs), FOR 1993-12-21 1385 and amended 1996-02-18 200.
- Forskrift om internkontroll for å oppfylle næringsmiddellovgivningen (Regulations on in-house control, based on risk analysis, to meet the requirements of the food control act), FOR 1994-12-15 1187 and amended 1997-11-12 1240.
- Forskrift om vannforsyning og drikkevann m.m. (Regulations on water supply and drinking water etc.), FOR 1995-01-01 68.
- Forskrift om maksimumsgrenser for restmengder av veterinæpreparater i næringsmidler av animalsk opprinnelse (Regulations on maximum residue limits for veterinary medicine in foodstuffs of animal origin), FOR 1996-10-10 997 and amended 2000-10-20 1069.
- Forskrift om kontrolltiltak for restmengder av visse stoffer i animalske næringsmidler, produskjonsdyr og fisk for å sikre helsemessig trygge næringsmidler (Regulations on control measures relating to amounts of residues of certain substances found in foods of animal origin, production animals and fish, aimed at ensuring food safety), FOR 200-01-27 65.
- Forskrift om delegering av myndighet på næringsmiddelområdet til det kommunale og interkommunale næringsmiddeltilsyn (Regulations on the delegation of powers concerning the food control, transferred to the municipal and inter-municipal food control authorities), FOR 2000-02-17 251.
Finally Council Directive 96/93/EC relating to the certification of live animals and animal products has not been transposed into Norwegian legislation.[4]
During transport within the EEA area meat products, minced meat and meat preparations have to be accompanied by a commercial document providing information according to the Norwegian Regulation of 25 April 1994 no.320 on meat inspection and the placing on the market of fresh meat. The same regulation lays down that meat products, which are produced from raw material coming from a slaughterhouse situated in a restricted area/ region, have to be accompanied by a health certificate.
The Authority’s comments regarding certification are to be found under point 6.4.
6 Main findings
6.1 The competent authorities
The separation of competences is described under point 6.1 in the fresh meat report. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs deals with the legislation on meat products, minced meat and meat preparations.
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has delegated the responsibility for the official control to be carried out with regard to safety and quality of meat products, minced meat and meat preparations to the Norwegian Food Control Authority (Statens næringsmiddeltilsyn/SNT) although it remains financially and administratively responsible for it (Myndighetsoverføring til SNT m.v. of 29 April 1988 no.312). In turn, SNT has delegated certain responsibilities to 81 Local Food Control Authorities (kommunale næringsmiddeltilsyn/KNTs), which are, inter alia, responsible for the supervision, inspection and the control of meat products, minced meat and meat preparations. This is formalised in regulations on the delegation of powers concerning food control transferred to the municipal and inter-municipal food control authorities of 17 February 2000 no.251 (Forskrift om delegering av myndighet på næringsmiddelområdet til det kommunale og interkommunale næringsmiddeltilsyn).
In addition to be responsible for drafting regulations relating to official food control, SNT issues instructions and administrative provisions describing how the KNTs should perform the delegated tasks.
6.1.1 Organisation of SNT
The organisation of SNT is described under point 6.1.1 in the fresh meat report.
6.1.2 Organisation of KNT
The organisation of KNT is described under point 6.1.2 in the fresh meat report.
The Official Veterinarians (OVs) and the inspectors present in the meat product, minced meat and meat preparation establishments are employed by KNT.
6.1.3 Co-ordination between SNT and KNT
In order to ensure a harmonised control system of supervision throughout the country SNT organises annual seminars where both local and central authorities must be present. In addition SNT stated that the intention was to audit the KNTs regularly, as further illustrated under point 6.1.6 concerning reporting.
Finally the SNT can withdraw the delegation of competences given to a KNT but the dismissal of an OV or an inspector can only be done by the KNT he/she belongs to.
6.1.4 Independence and resources
The official veterinarians and the inspectors in Norway are employed as civil servants by the public services in order to carry out the control according to the requirements laid down in Council Directives 77/99/EEC and 94/65/EC. An official control performed by an OV or an inspector is financed by the SNT.
In SNT seven full time and one part time staff member are dealing with the control and supervision of meat product, minced meat and meat preparation establishments as well as with the implementation of regulations in this field. The same staff has also the responsibility for the fresh meat area.
The KNTs have 158 veterinary officers and approximately 70 inspectors inspecting plants for meat products, minced meat, meat preparations and poultry meat.
During the inspection the following observations were made:
· At the central and local level the staff was competent and motivated despite a heavy workload especially at the central level and in one of the KNTs visited.
· Due to various administrative obligations the veterinary officers, designated to the specific geographical areas of SNT, were unable to perform the inspections necessary to ensure conformity with the Council Directives 77/99/EEC and 94/65/EC.
· In one KNT the inspections, required by the Directives, could not be performed due to a shortage of staff.
6.1.5 Recruitment and training
The OVs are recruited by SNT based on recommendations made by the KNTs and it is foreseen by SNT that they participate once a year in a two-day training course about relevant legislation and subjects related to the daily supervision performed by them.