Friday, 10 December 2010
Phytosanitary inspection and food safety system to be upgraded
The Government is planning to simplify goods imports in terms of phytosanitary regulation. As Premier’s adviser Aram Gharibyan told the press conference today, the norm will become effective once the corresponding law has been amended to establish a list of highly reputed international certifying entities.
“We have a binding norm in place under mutual agreements. Thus, the norm turns out ineffective unless there is a mutual agreement. For this very reason, the law is believed to be imperfect and it should be amended,” Aram Gharibyan said.
As a result, the certificates available from eligible international entities will be accepted and no further checks will be made in Armenia.
According to Aram Gharibyan, Armenian laboratories are not always equipped as well as the ones issuing international test-based certificates. He further stated that should the inspectors have any doubts concerning the quality of imported products or foodstuffs of biological origin, they will be entitled to take a trial sample. Only in this case the sample can be sent away for expertise. Any sample-taking act should specify the reasons having led to specific suspicions, based on which the products at issue will be suspended until relevant test findings are made public.
“The amendment will allow us to use the few resources available for the monitoring of higher-risk products and foodstuffs,” the speaker told the journalists.
Along with the efforts aimed at streamlining the legislative framework, the principle of “from field to table” will have to be clarified to raise public awareness of the products consumed. An internationally acknowledged and integrated system of analysis and assessment is to be applied allowing Armenia to avoid importing such products as may contain health risks.
The strategy at issue implies a specific program of action. Structural and institutional reforms are planned to this end. 3 different inspectorates are involved in the food safety control system of Armenia: phytosanitary, food security and veterinary, hygienic and anti-epidemic. There are also a number of SNCOs providing services in the field of food security.
According to Aram Gharibyan, the foregoing 3 inspectorates will be reorganized into a single entity to fulfill the totality of functions applicable in the food circuit. As a result, this single body will be responsible for the whole chain of food safety.
“It should be noted that most of the problems arise due to the confusion and duplication of functions vested in these inspectorates,” Aram Gharibyan said in conclusion.
