CAFIA signed Declaration on Co-operation with Spanish Authority SOIVRE

06/18/2003
 

Today, Jakub Šebesta, Director General of the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA), has signed the Declaration on Co-operation between CAFIA and Spanish Authority for Inspection, Certification and Technical Assistance for Foreign Trade (SOIVRE) – Spanish Ministry of Economy. Mr Blas Vicente Lopez (SOIVRE Director), Ms Belén Alfonso Romero (Head of SOIVRE Inspection Department) and Mr Rafael Jaén Tapiola (Director of SOIVRE in Figueres) were present at the signature of this document.

The declaration is the completion of the several-year-co-operation between experts of both authorities, especially in the field of inspection and certification of fresh fruit and vegetables, but of other foodstuffs as well.

The signed document contains mainly more flexible exchange of information about quality of fresh fruit and vegetables imported into the Czech Republic from Spain so that the Spanish Authority could determine most effectively the origin of goods, and in case of need, ensure the removal of revealed irregularities. In practise it means, that if CAFIA detects during its inspections non-quality Spanish fruit or vegetables put into place in the Czech Republic, it will notify SOIVRE which then will ensure the performance of inspections and, if necessary, will take all possible measures in Spain. It will be thus possible to make the export more effective, as far as the Spanish foreign trade is concerned, and to offer Czech consumers more quality fresh fruit and vegetables in the shops.

Both sides intend to provide each other with relevant legal regulations as well, and to continue with the exchange scholarships of experts from both authorities. 

SOIVRE is the authority of the Spanish Ministry of Economy. It consists of 32 subsidiaries located on the whole territory of Spain, including Mallorca and the Canaries. SOIVRE, located in Figueres, represents a “natural gate” for the export of fresh fruit and vegetables from Spain. However, the authority inspects other food exported to the European Union and third countries as well. 

The European Union pays close attention to the inspections of quality of fresh fruit and vegetables. The export and import rules for these commodities are laid down in the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1148/2001, according to which the consignments of fresh fruit and vegetables are provided with certificates issued by national inspection bodies, represented in Spain by SOIVRE and in the Czech Republic by CAFIA.

Although CAFIA signed the Declaration with Spanish SOIVRE only three days after the referendum on EU accession, this document was not created for political reasons. As Jakub Šebesta, CAFIA Director General, stated today: “At first, the Spanish and Czech experts co-operated with each other in an informal way because it contributed a lot to mutual communication in many ways. And only on the basis of their work, this document was created. It will help both sides to improve their co-operation.

Photo (CAFIA):Today, Jakub Šebesta, Director General of the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA), has signed the Declaration on Co-operation between CAFIA and SOIVRE. Spanish Ministry of Economy. Mr Blas Vicente Lopez (SOIVRE Director), Ms Belén Alfonso Romero (Head of SOIVRE Inspection Department) and Mr Rafael Jaén Tapiola (Director of SOIVRE in Figueres) were present at the signature of this document.


Author: RNDr. Daniela Kolejková - 55344 CSc. - Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority  

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