Better training for safer food: 2009 programme

Friday 21 December 2007

The Food Standards Agency, Defra and the devolved agriculture/rural affairs departments are seeking suggestions on the topics to be included in the training programme for 2009 under the European Commission’s ‘Better Training for Safer Food’ strategy.

The training courses are for officials from the regulatory authorities and services in the Member States and non-European Union countries, and the aim is to ensure that official controls are carried out consistently and effectively across the Community. The 2006 and 2007 programmes covered areas such as import controls at Border Inspection Posts and the implementation and auditing of food safety management systems. A similar programme of courses will run in 2008.

Ideas for the training priorities in 2009 will be discussed at a Commission Working Group meeting in late January and it would be helpful to us to have your views on what areas should be included in advance of that so responses are requested by 18 January 2008.