A course for third country authorities on aquatic animal health controls and trade
Announcement: Participants are invited to attend a four day training course to be held at the Cefas Weymouth laboratory in early September 2009
The course will cover the implementation of the new EU Aquatic Animal Health legislation arising from EU Directive 2006/88 and the resultant implications for international trade in aquatic animals and products destined for the EU.
This course is intended for those in senior government policy posts responsible for the aquatic animal health controls in their country and those responsible for its implementation, particularly aquatic animal health export certification. The course gives details of the concepts of the AAH controls. It will cover a comprehensive introduction to the regime whilst providing a review, check list and time line for action for those currently trading with the EU. Courses for other government officials and aquatic animal production businesses focussing on aquatic animal health, bio-security, accredited laboratory testing and risk based health controls are also available on a regular basis for further information contact Cefas at www.cefas.co.uk
The harmonised EU rules on fish health, introduced in 2004 on the basis of the aquatic animal health legislation arising from EU Directive 91/67, resulted in a number of complex issues for officials in third countries. Those responsible for completing export health certification documents were particularly affected as highlighted in recent EU Food and veterinary Office reports. In 2009 the implementation of the aquatic animal health rules arising from Directive 2006/88 added to this complexity. This included additional controls on diseases of crustaceans for the first time, and a move to a more risk based approach to health monitoring and controls.
This training will analyse the new EU legislation arising from EU Directive 2006/88 chapter by chapter. It will provide significant benefits for exporting third countries, allowing them to gain a comprehensive understanding of the new EU requirements under current legislation ensuring they understand what controls need to be in place for continuity for EU exports. It will also provide background on how the aquatic health regime is applied in EU member States enabling participants to recognise what is required in order to claim equivalence using OIE and other standards which may already be in place in country. The course will be based around power point presentations, followed by participants working in small groups to ensure a comprehensive understanding and uptake. During these working group exercises expert facilitators will work with participants. They will be encouraged to apply the information arising from the course into context with the situation in their country, and where necessary develop action plans.
There will also be the opportunity to see detailed aspects of the programme as implemented in the UK. These include data management and analysis, inspection programmes on aquatic production businesses, accreditation of laboratory testing, inspection and sampling programmes, and the process of export/import /intra-community trade controls.
The attached programme lays down the basic structure of the training but depending on participants priorities the course can be tuned within the broad structure of the course to emphasise particular aspects of the programme and areas of trade.
The Cefas Weymouth Laboratory is the UK national reference laboratory for Aquatic Animal Health, the EU reference laboratory for crustacean diseases. It is also the OIE reference laboratory for Spring Viraemia of carp, Koi Herpes Virus and crayfish plague and as such houses experts in all fields related to the aquatic animal health legislation. The course will permit participants access to the opinion of this mix of experts through a question and answer session covering previously raised questions.
The course will be conducted in English and no facilities for translation are planned.
