The progress made by Norway and Iceland on meals -related audit suggestions has been revealed in an up to date report.
Norway and Iceland are a part of the European Free Commerce Affiliation (EFT). The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) displays how these nations implement the principles of the European Financial Space (EEE) on meals and meals security, animal well being and nicely -being.
That not too long ago up to date nation profile stories for Iceland and Norway. The assessment displays the actions taken within the final yr.
Iceland progress
The Nation Profile of Iceland printed in June 2023 adopted a normal assessment audit. It provides an outline of ESA evaluations about Iceland’s observe -up on the suggestions made in audits between January 2018 and November 2022.
For 3 audits, Iceland supplied info not or restricted in 2024. For others, that concluded that 9 suggestions had been adequately addressed.
ESA found that the actions to deal with three suggestions, two associated to an audit of fishing merchandise and one linked to the audit on animal safety on the time of the killing, weren’t taken as beforehand agreed and urged Iceland to ascertain corrective measures.
An instance of a advice was that the Icelandic Meals and Veterinary Authority (Mast) ought to be sure that official controls of fishing merchandise embody all related components in EU laws, equivalent to organoleptic exams, freshness indicators, histamine, waste and pollution, microbiological controls and parasites. The deadline for corrective actions was the tip of 2023, however no updates have been supplied since June 2023.
Circumstances have been closed within the Nationwide Audit System and the import management of merchandise of non -animal origin. Basically, 28 of 92 suggestions of the interval coated by the Common Evaluation Audit stay open. This consists of 20 the place work has begun to deal with the advice and three actions are required.
ESA additionally despatched two letters of formal notification to Iceland in 2024, asking the nation to implement an efficient system for official controls and adjust to the principles on animal by -products.
Norway verdict
The Norwegian nation profile was additionally printed in June 2023 and consists of an outline of the observe -up of ESA on the suggestions made in audits between April 2018 and November 2022. ESA concluded that Norway had approached 10 further suggestions and instances on the manufacturing of meals prepared for consuming and poultry meat and poultry meat merchandise.
Nevertheless, ESA found that applicable actions in a advice, relating to the safety of chickens and chickens for meat manufacturing, weren’t applied as agreed. ESA urged Norway to deal with this example.
Norway has addressed 48 of 54 suggestions of the interval coated by the Common Evaluation Audit in 2023. 5 have been nonetheless in progress and motion for a subject was nonetheless required.
Norway additionally had a advice in progress associated to official controls of fishing merchandise. In December 2023, Mattilsynet (Norwegian Meals Safety Authority) supplied ES to a danger evaluation that may be used to create a monitoring plan for official sampling.
ESA has additionally printed its annual report on the overall functioning of official controls in meals and veterinary areas in Iceland and Norway in 2023.
Describe the actions carried out by ES and the nationwide authorities. The audits recognized issues in some sectors associated to approval procedures for meals firms or the applying of the EEE regulation.
In October 2023, ESA closed a case of infraction towards Norway on import controls on animal merchandise after the nation made legislative and administrative modifications to adjust to the EEE guidelines.
That identified a big enchancment within the info supplied in annual stories of Iceland and Norway. Nevertheless, inconsistencies within the reported information restricted the power to check the figures with precision and draw complete conclusions on the official controls carried out.
(To register for a free subscription to Meals Security Information, Click on right here)