DG Trade in cooperation with DG Health and Consumers is organising a five-day seminar on traceability of meat from the 17th to the 21st of November for participants from Developing Countries (DC).

MCI and Arcadia International are respectively the designed “organisational” and “technical” components to coordinate the success of this seminar.

Why

Why this Seminar?

Main objectives are to improve DC knowledge on the import related EC legislation in the field of traceability of meat.

Trade Policy plays a key role in the European Union’s relations with the rest of the world and the EU is a major player in international trade, accounting for a fifth of all world trade.

Moreover, traceability has become an important import requirement to be taken into consideration by DC when trying to export meat and derived products. The EU has established one of the most sophisticated traceability systems with the aim of improving both human and animal health standards while reinforcing the competitiveness of the EU meat sector.

This seminar will be attended mainly by senior administrators from Developing Countries having years of practical experiences in the field of meat traceability within their countries and abroad.

About 36 participants from 17 different DC’s are anticipated to participate to the seminar.

Why is it worth attending this Seminar ?

DG Trade encourages all participants to ask questions and in return get practical answers to their main problems. This creating an interactive seminar.

Provision of technical assistance from European experts
The “value chain” approach (from production to distribution/import of products) has been chosen. The whole chain approach will help participants to understand the practical aspects of traceability within the meat sector (all type of meat to be covered). The three external experts have specific and relevant knowledge of DC contexts. 

Practical exchange of experiences between European countries and DC based through 2 days of field visits
The two days of field visits will highlight the theoretical principles based on a “value chain” approach. Through this, opportunities are given to all participants to discuss with local actors active in the meat sector and more precisely those who handle imported meat.

Concrete exchange of experiences between DC
Two concrete cases studies will be presented by DC. Large scale examples will permit us to illustrate practical solutions and to give concrete answers, through our international experts attending the seminar, to the main problems encountered by DC in the field of meat traceability.

Issues and Challenges

• Updating of participant’s knowledge in the field of meat traceability;
• Giving to all candidates concrete examples and adapted solutions for solving their own problems;
• Exchanging problems and solutions between DC that could lead to concrete partnerships between DC (capacity building approach and North/South partnerships);
• Enhanced the international trade between European countries and DC while reinforcing the EU competitiveness.