Food and Product safety Role of EU customs Laboratories 6 nov 2015 gcm.koomen@belastingdienst.nl
EU Mission of customs authorities Protecting the financial interests of the Community and its Member States; Protecting the Community from unfair and illegal trade while supporting legitimate business activities; Ensuring the security and safety of the Community and its residents, and the protection of the environment, where appropriate in close cooperation with other authorities; Maintaining a proper balance between customs controls and facilitation of legitimate trade
Importance of import and export EU-China Country People billions Total production US Dollars Billions * Ratio Dollars/ person Import EU from China euros** Billions Export EU to China euros** Billions China 1.40 10400 7400 302 (food 2 %) 165 (food 4.7 %) EU 0.508 18500 36400 USA 0.317 17600 55520 Netherlands 0.0168 866 51500 Norway 0,00516 511 99147 * Data IMF 2014 ** Data EU DG trade 2014 12 november 2015
EU trade with China Indicator Unit Period Imports Exports Last year Billions Euros 2014 302 165 Rank as EU partner 2014 1 2* Share in EU trade % 2014 17.9 9.7 Annual growth rate % 2013-2014 7.8 11.2 Annual average growth rate % 2010-2014 1.6 9.8 Data EU DG trade 2014 * EU biggest exporter to China 12 november 2015
12 november 2015
Customs Laboratory Testen L 226
Customs Laboratory Amsterdam 62 fte Three Chemical Departments Department of Quality and ICT Department of Support 14000 Samples a year Quality system Accreditation according ISO 17025 since 1995
Testen L 226
Testen L 226
Testen L 226
Testen L 226
Testen L 226
Customs Laboratory Testen L 226
Principles Customs Administration Strengthening of the EU external border Fewer logistic delays Cooperation with the business community and colleague enforcement services Risk Management: risk analysis and more extensive intelligence
Procedures In the country of origin: Food is checked by the health authorities of the country of origin. The country of origin provides a health certificate for the goods This certificate is necessary to enter the EU with the goods
Food from non-veterinary origin for human consumption
Food from veterinary origin for human consumption
Feed from non-veterinary origin for animals
Process steps declaration Entry summary declaration (ENS) Risk analysis and selection Electronic Pre notification of manifest data (48 hours before arriving of vessel) Electronic summarized declaration (SAL) Risk analyses en selection 20
Procedures In the EU: 24 hours before arrival of the goods, the arrival must be notified in the system of the Netherland Food- and Product Safety Authority (NVWA) Comparison with the Customs system tells us if all of the food is notified by the importers If not, the NVWA will be informed by the Customs All of the notified goods are included in the risk assessment and part will be further checked by the NVWA and/or Customs
Three sorts of inspections Documentary checks (Customs) Identity checks (food and product safety authority) Physical checks (food and product safety authority) 6 november 2015
Regulations The basic regulation is regulation 2002/178 General principles and requirements of food law Establishing the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) Rapid Alert System Laying down procedures in matters of food safety Emergency measures for food and feed of Community origin or imported from a third country (example: Fukushima)
Regulations Regulation 2004/882: On official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules. Gives the rules to work with the basic principles of Regulation 2002/178 (Control systems of the NVWA like VGC/CLIENT)
Role EU-Customs Laboratories in food inspection For Customs Laboratories no specific task in Food Safety Dangerous foods encountered however in control of Medicines Act - Food Supplements declared to contain pharmaceutical substances - Food Supplements adulterated with pharmaceutical substances predominantly herbal preparations - Foods (coffee, tea, drinks) adulterated with pharmaceutical substances 25
Role of the EU Customs Laboratories food supplements
Examples Food supplements energy boosters DMAA, stimulants cognitive /mood enhancers vinpocetine, nootropics muscle growth levodopa, designer steroids, relaxants melatonin, picamilon Herbal supplements and foods sexual stimulants (sildenafil, tadalafil, dapoxetine,..) slimming products (sibutramine, phenolphthalein, spironolactone, fluoxetine,..) 27
Analytical techniques Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) identification Mainly GCMS, ESI-MSMS, FTIR, NMR XRF, optical rotation, APCI-MSMS, TGA, Quantification of API s required for determination of legislation (Medicines Act versus Warenwet) GC-FID, quantitative NMR (internal standard), LC-DAD-MS(MS) 28
Number of violating samples 2013 & 2014 Category 2013 2014 Herbal supplements & foods 101 (216.400 units) 50 Food Supplements 59 (568.000 units) 24 29
Food safety Additives Food Contaminants Heavy metals 3-MCPD Acrylamide Mycotoxins PAH compounds Furan Nitrate Phthalate Solvents Pesticide residues Food contact materials Food crimes Microbes Genetically Modified Organisms in food (GMO) Use of radiation Labelling Added vitamins Composition, novelty food Health claims Radioactivity Allergens Kalevi Siivinen Finnish Customs Laboratory 30
Finnish Customs Laboratory, EU national reference laboratory Vegetables, fruits, cereals : pesticide heavy metals mycotoxins GMO food contact materials Kalevi Siivinen Finnish Customs Laboratory 31
Results 2014 Food Samples Non-complying Notified Non-complying + Notified Import 3. country 1299 169 13.0 % 141 10.9 % 310 19.0 % Internal market 2030 113 5.6 % 189 9.3 % 302 14.9 % Total 3329 282 8.5% 330 9.9 % 612 18.4 % Consumer goods Samples Non-complying Notified Non-complying + Notified Import 3. country 2125 203 9.6 % 205 9.6 % 408 19.2 % Internal market 322 28 8.7 % 50 15.5 % 78 24.2 % Total 2447 231 9.5 % 255 10.4 % 486 19.9 % Kalevi Siivinen Finnish Customs Laboratory 32
Foods examined in Finnish Customs Laboratory 2014 Food category Number of lots Rejected Rejected % Fruit, berries and vegetables 1376 67 4,9 Nuts and almonds 176 9 5,1 Processed foods (soups, broths, canned, candies, juices etc.) 566 53 9,4 Cereals and bakery products 324 23 7,1 Spices and seasonings 224 37 16,5 Tea, coffee, cocoa 187 29 15,5 Food supplements, baby food, special diets 209 35 16,7 Other 267 29 10,9 Total 3329 282 8,5 Kalevi Siivinen Finnish Customs Laboratory 33
Kalevi Siivinen Finnish Customs Laboratory 34
Consumer goods examined in Finnish Customs Laboratory 2014 Samples Rejected Rejected % Tableware, food contact material 665 31 4.7 Toys 815 109 13.4 Textiles 491 26 5.3 Articles used in direct contact with the skin (nickel-test) 192 17 8.9 Cosmetics 144 34 23.6 Others 140 14 10.3 Total 2447 231 9.4 Kalevi Siivinen Finnish Customs Laboratory 35
Conclusions EU Customs and EU Food Inspection Authorities perform the food and feed inspection together EU Food Inspection laboratories do the majority of the chemical analyses EU Customs Laboratories have a specific role in the control of food supplements and control of medicines act All EU Customs Laboratories are member of the CLEN (Customs Laboratories European Network) 6 november 2015 gcm.koomen@belastingdienst.nl
Thank you for your attention Gcm.koomen@belastingdienst.nl