Backgrounder

The EU residue audit

In September 2000, a team from the European Commission (EC) conducted an audit of Canada's control of chemical residues in live animals and animal products, some of which are exported to the European Union (EU). This audit was not the result of any products imported into the EU from Canada having been found to be in violation of established standards. In fact, these kinds of foreign-country audits are part of an ongoing process trading partners undertake to respond to consumers' needs for assurances regarding the safety of their food supply. Canada receives audits from the EC and other countries that we export to, and conducts audits on the EC and other countries that export products to Canada. Audits are helpful in that they identify new and emerging concerns and allow for countries to continuously improve their food safety and inspection control systems. Canada recognizes that, ultimately, it is the consumer who benefits from this process.

Since the audit report was received by Canada on October 19, Canadian and EC officials have engaged in a series of productive and positive discussions to enhance Canada's food safety system. From a Canadian perspective, these discussions provided an opportunity to correct factual errors in the EC draft report, to clarify and narrow key EC concerns, and to develop an action plan to respond to EC observations. In addition, they provided an opportunity for Canada to demonstrate that consumption of Canadian food of animal origin does not pose a safety risk to the health of consumers in Canada or the EU, to highlight that Canada has a comprehensive regulatory and monitoring program to protect the health and safety of Canadians, and to proudly demonstrate that Canadian food of animal origin is among the safest in the world. The final Canadian response to the EC draft audit report is a detailed and serious effort to correct factual errors, to clarify the regulatory approach in Canada, and to develop a mutually agreeable action plan.

Why an action plan

The Government of Canada is committed to the ongoing improvement of Canada's food safety system. In fact, this commitment was restated in the Speech from the Throne of October 1999 where it declared that safe food is fundamental to health. Our record shows that Canadian food of animal origin is among the safest in the world. The Government realizes that to maintain this record it must be constantly diligent - always working to improve or enhance the systems that result in safe food.

To this end, Canada's overall objective in responding to the EC audit is to improve Canada's food safety and control systems. To improve those areas where concerns have been identified. To demonstrate Canada's commitment to providing mutually acceptable measures regarding our two systems. And, to allow for continued trade with the EU. In essence, the action plan provides you, the consumer or Canada's trading partner, with additional levels of assurances regarding the integrity and effectiveness of Canada's overall food safety and animal health systems.

It introduces further measures to enhance our ability to control chemical residues in live animals, including increased sampling and testing. It outlines the government's commitment to implement a national approach to the extra label use of veterinary drugs and to broaden the ban on the use of diethylstilbesterol (DES) in food producing animals and ban the sale of other drugs found on evaluation of new scientific evidence, to pose a risk to human health. And, it solidifies the government's commitment to establish legal limits for all veterinary drug residues under the authority of the Food and Drugs Act.

We urge you to read Canada's response to the EU audit - posted on the Web sites of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada. By continuing to improve regulatory, enforcement, prevention and control processes, Canada will remain a world leader in food safety and consumer protection. We welcome your comments and will do our best to address your concerns.