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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) started today with a working meeting in Brno international project “Strengthening of the Official Control System of Food of Non-animal Origin coming from the Third Countries” (OFFCOS). CAFIA’s partner is the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority of the Netherlands (Voedsel en Waren  Autoriteit – VWA).

The aim of the project is to support and enhance the effectiveness of Food Inspection Authority controls concerning foodstuffs originating in third countries. Through professional seminars, workshops and study visits in the Netherlands, Great Britain and France, inspectors and other CAFIA staff will acquire new information and practical experience they can immediately put into practice. The OFFCOS project was officially launched on 30 November 2005 and will continue until the end of this year’s May. The financial capacity of the project that is part of the Phare-Transition Facility programme is more than EUR 100,000.

The European Commission (EC) pays increased attention to certain commodities originating in third countries, which could pose a higher risk to European consumers. For this reason, the system of Member States supervisory bodies work is more demanding. An example is the import of dry shell fruits, to which belong, for example, pistachios, groundnuts or hazelnuts, or import of some dried fruits, such as raisins, dates and figs. These products can contain mycotoxins dangerous to human health. Based on EC Decisions, these commodities originating in designated countries are strictly controlled at every EU entry point. In the Czech Republic, such point of entry is the Customs Office Rudná u Prahy, where CAFIA inspectors sample each consignment monitored. If the Inspection Authority proves its dangerousness, it is not are released on the Czech market, and thus not on EU market.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority has been successfully drawing on EU funds for ten years, particularly through Phare grant from which CAFIA managed to obtain EUR 3.25 million. Other funds are drawn within the framework of running INTERREG IIIA project and yet this year, financial support in implementing COSTRA educational project will be obtained. Money received is used to equip the CAFIA with laboratory instruments, information technology, to provide professional education, staff training, to create common information system of Czech supervisory bodies, and to implement quality management system at the CAFIA.