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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) together with the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit – VWA) today at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Prague officially terminated joint project “ Strengthening of the Official Control System of Food of Non-Animal Origin Coming from the Third Countries” (OFFCOS).

The aim of the project was to support and enhance the effectiveness of controls of foodstuffs originating in third countries, carried out by the Food Inspection Authority. Through professional seminars, workshops and study visits in the Netherlands, Great Britain and France, inspectors and other CAFIA staff acquired new information and practical experience with controls of dry shell fruits, dried fruits, fresh fruit and vegetables and other specific foodstuffs that can be dangerous to human health. The obligation to control selected commodities imported to the European market from third countries at entry points is based on Decisions of the European Commission.

The main contribution of this project lies in practical exchange of experiences and in comparing working procedures and technical equipment used for inspections and sampling. The project also contributed to the deepening of relations with the Dutch supervisory body as well as with supervisory bodies in Great Britain and France.

The OFFCOS project was launched on 16 January 2006 in Brno and it was financed from the Phare-Transition Facility programme in the amount of EUR 100,000.

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority has been successfully drawing EU funds for ten years, mainly through Phare grants from which the CAFIA managed to obtain EUR 3.25 million. Other funds are drawn within an ongoing project INTERREG IIIA and yet this year, the CAFIA will obtain financial support in implementing educational project COSTRA.

The grants were used to equip the CAFIA with laboratory instruments, computer technology, to train and educate staff, to develop joint information system of Czech supervisory bodies and to establish quality management system at CAFIA.

Photo: CAFIA (atmosphere of professional seminars, workshops and study visits)