Crisis management-inter-sectoral simulation exercises in Food Sector

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Programme/Course on Crisis management-inter-sectoral simulation exercises in Food Sector are:

  • Improving preparedness and response planning for crisis situations through testing procedures in place at national (contingency plans) and EU level (e.g. the crisis general plan
  • Ensuring coherence, interoperability and coordination between the local, national and EU level
  • Ensuring interaction between Member States and with international partners concerned by using the appropriate channels
  • Ensuring coordination between the competent authority and other stakeholders at national level
  • Guaranteeing coordination of risk communication at local, national and EU level
  • Improving preparedness to communication and decision-making challenges in crisis situations, such as e.g. deciding when to communicate, how to handle uncertainty when communicating and how to balance scientific assessments vs political evaluation, trade, economic impact, consumer confidence and public health

The course addresses the following topics:

  • Crisis management coordination and response in the food and feed sectors: institutional and legal framework
  • iRASFF and multi-country outbreaks
  • EpiPulse and EWRS
  • The joint EFSA-ECDC Rapid Outbreak Assessments

This Training Programme has been designed for the profiles and positions described below. Please verify compliance with the selection criteria before submitting or validating applications.

  • Participants from the Competent Authority in the field of Food Safety or Public Health.  When possible, each country should provide the participant from: food safety / public health / crisis coordination;
  • Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in the public health sector or official control on food safety;
  • Be part of the Competent authority responsible for the investigation and/or management of foodborne outbreaks
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 15/02/2022 17/02/2022 Online Zoom NA
Cancelled 28/03/2022 30/03/2022 Online Zoom NA
2 25/04/2022 27/04/2022 Online Zoom NA
3 05/10/2022 07/10/2022 Brussels Belgium
 4 13/05/2024  15/05/2024  Rome  Italy

Food safety crisis preparedness non-EU

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Programme/Course on Food safety crisis preparedness non-EU are:

  • to further improve EU and non-EU officials’ collaboration through INFOSAN;
  • To reinforce networking between EU and non-EU countries’ food safety crisis managers and, by bringing together participants from different Member States and non-EU countries,
  • to allow the exchange of experience and disseminate best practices for control activities and procedures on food safety crisis management taking into account the experience and achievements on food safety crisis preparedness and management in the EU and non-EU countries’ institutions.

The course addresses the following topics:

  • The WHO INFOSAN framework and tools for food safety crisis preparedness and management.
  • The EU framework and tools for food safety crisis preparedness and management.
  • Global and regional early warning or emerging risk information platforms as source of information about potential crises or incidents.
  • Crisis-mode operational procedures to speed up effective action during the crisis and to enable coordinated crisis communication.
  • Common constraints, challenges, weaknesses and good practices.

The training will be addressed to staff in charge of food safety controls and crisis management in both EU and non-EU countries:

a)staff of the competent authority/ies involved in contingency planning and operation of contingency plans relating to food crisis incidents and their management;

b)staff of the competent authority/ies designated as contact points within the INFOSAN network for the exchange of information on food safety crisis incidents and management.

Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 27/06/2022 01/07/2022 Belgrade Serbia
2 05/09/2022 09/09/2022 Casablanca Morocco
3 24/10/2022 28/10/2022 Bangkok Thailand
4 28/11/2022 02/12/2022 Rio de Janeiro Brazil
5 20/02/2023 24/02/2023 Sao José Costa Rica
6 17/04/2023 21/04/2023 Manila Philippines
7 15/05/2023 19/05/2023 Belgrade Serbia
8 12/06/2023 16/06/2023 Kuala Lumpur Malasya
9 25/09/2023 29/09/2023 Beijing China
10 02/10/2023 06/10/2023 Tbilisi Georgia
11 06/11/2023 10/11/2023 Cape Town South Africa

SessionStart DateEnd DateCityCountry
1229/04/202403/05/2024BangkokThailand
1301/07/202405/07/2024BelgradeSerbia
1409/09/202413/09/2024CasablancaMorocco
1510/11/202415/11/2024Ho Chi MinhVietnam
1627/01/202531/01/2025BogotàColombia
1724/02/202528/02/2025ChisinauMoldova
1831/03/202504/04/2025MumbaiIndia
1912/05/202516/05/2025SeoulSouth Korea
2016/06/202520/06/2025Buenos AiresArgentina
2114/07/202518/07/2025Cape TownSouth Africa
2206/10/202510/10/2025TiranaAlbania


Inter-sectoral simulation exercises on multi-country foodborne incidents

BTSF Training Programme on Inter-sectoral simulation exercises on multi-country foodborne incidents

The overall aim of the exercises is to strengthen EU Member States, other EEA countries (Norway, Iceland) and Switzerland capacities to deliver a coordinated response to a serious food safety incident that affects them.





Outbreak preparedness and management in food

BTSF Training Programme on Outbreak preparedness and management in food.

The overall objective is:

  • To increase knowledge of Competent Authorities and field inspectors on preparedness and management on foodborne outbreaks, in order to increase the level of expertise and harmonisation.
  • Officials with minimum 3 years of professional experience in public health sector or official control on food safety.
  • Competent authority responsible for investigation and/or management of foodborne outbreaks.
  • Experience in surveillance systems to early detect foodborne outbreak.
  • Experience in traceability investigation.
Session Start Date End Date City Country
1 03/12/2019 06/12/2019 Barcelona Spain
2 03/03/2020 06/03/2020 Voorschoten The Netherlands
3 14/09/2021 16/09/2021 Online Online
4 05/10/2021 07/10/2021 Online Online
5 09/11/2021 11/11/2021 Online Online
6 14/12/2021 16/12/2021 Online Online
7 22/02/2022 24/02/2022 Online Online
8 15/03/2022 17/03/2022 Online Online
9 03/05/2022 05/05/2022 Online Online
10 14/06/2022 17/06/2022 Bologna Italy
11 27/09/2022 30/09/2022 Varsavia Poland
12 13/12/2022 16/12/2022 Rome Italy
13 06/02/2023 09/02/2023 Rome Italy
14 27/03/2023 30/03/2023 Rome Italy