• Entrepreneurs
• Business information
• Certification
• CAFIA laboratories
• CAFIA opinions
• More information
• Consumers
• How to know the food market
• Results of CAFIA inspections
• Consumer rights
• List of risky sites
• Hoaxes
• Other visitors
• Press Releases
• Internships at CAFIA
• Public contracts

6. Information and Communication System

The CAFIA internal information system reached a turning point in 2002. It was necessary to make some fundamental steps in order to implement new information strategy, which will place the focus of the inspectors’ activities more on field work so that they will be able to provide on-line data collection for the information system directly in the place of inspection, via the web interface, and to arrange data transmission through GSM technologies to the central data server. The users will have differentiated access rights to the system.

On the basis of an analysis of the information system that was completed at the end of 2001, the system supplier commenced application programming in the new professional information system for the Control and Laboratory Activities (CLA IS). A group of CAFIA consultants produced continually more specific requirements for the system in order to help prepare the application for data uploading by the beginning of 2003. The system is designed as a central intranet application in the Sybase database environment on the basis of the Java Server Pages technology, utilising the BEA Weblogic application internet server and the Crystal Reports application for output reports.  CLA IS is certified to comply with the UVIS standards for the existing data elements at the communication interface. The new information system will include modules of the existing information system, such as “Controls”, “Laboratory Activities”, “Complaints” and “Economist”. In connection with the implementation of the new IS, a basic training course was organised for both the users and the system administration.   

CAFIA made a considerable investment into the IS hardware in 2002, predominantly into the mobile communication technology (such as notebooks, mobile phones making possible the data transmission). The access rate to internet was also enhanced in number of CAFIA workplaces.

Based on tasks arising from a government resolution No. 624/2001 “Rules, principles and method of inspection of the use of software products”, an inspection was carried out throughout the organisation focusing on the legal use of software applications in CAFIA, and an appropriate internal guideline was issued regulating this particular issue.

The services of corporate intranet are now exploited more often and to larger extent, yet more and more documents are downloaded to the intranet. One can find here, for example, releases of the important decisions made in Administrative Proceedings, CAFIA internal regulations, news about the inspections commanded by the headquarters, planned contaminant controls and current reports on foodstuffs risky to human health.

In addition to the new professional information system for Control and Laboratory Activities, new Personnel and Wage System was implemented in 2002, scheduled to be in operation since the beginning of 2003.

Exploitation of the CAFIA information system, corporate Intranet and Internet considerably enhances not only the information support of inspectors working in the field, but also of the top management in its planning and decision-making processes, and as a consequence, it helps improve efficiency of the CAFIA operations playing an important role in ensuring the food safety and consumer protection.