BTSF ACADEMY

BTSF Workshop on Animal health audits for Candidate Countries.

The objective of this online workshop is to explain the Commission tools and mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the EU Acquis by the candidate.

The objective of this online workshop is to explain the Commission's tools and mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the EU Acquis by the candidate and potential candidate countries of the Western Balkans (hereinafter candidate countries) during accession to the EU, with a specific focus on animal health.

The workshop will facilitate discussion on progress, and the main technical challenges that the candidate countries face in the implementation of the EU Acquis. It will also provide opportunities to share good practices in this field.

The overall objectives of the BTSF training Course on Border control posts: Import controls on food of animal origin and composite products are:

• To disseminate best practices for import control procedures, improving knowledge of this complex area of work and ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union;
• To facilitate transition to the new scheme represented by the OCR and the comprehensive set of rules built around it;
• To go deep into the legal requirements and procedures relating to official border controls, covering theoretical content and legal requirements but including a practical approach to ensure a good understanding of the current framework;
• To facilitate the development of a harmonised approach to official controls at BCPs, offering an environment and atmosphere where delegates can share their experiences & problems encountered during their daily work;
• To put on the table common problems and experiences to find common solutions, best practice and encounter alternative and improved ways of working more effectively and efficiently;
• To provide the participants with the necessary tools and materials to disseminate the knowledge gained through the training course to colleagues in their home countries;
• To promote relationships between BCPs.

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Course on Border control posts: Import controls on live animals are:

• To disseminate best practices for import control procedures, improving knowledge of this complex area of work and ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the Union;
• To facilitate transition to the new scheme represented by the OCR and the comprehensive set of rules built around it;
• To go deep into the legal requirements and procedures relating to official border controls, covering theoretical content and legal requirements but including a practical approach to ensure a good understanding of the current framework;
• To facilitate the development of a harmonised approach to official controls at BCPs, offering an environment and atmosphere where delegates can share their experiences & problems encountered during their daily work;
• To put on the table common problems and experiences to find common solutions, best practice and encounter alternative and improved ways of working more effectively and efficiently;
• To provide the participants with the necessary tools and materials to disseminate the knowledge gained through the training course to colleagues in their home countries;
• To promote relationships between BCPs.

The overarching goals of the BTSF HACCP multiplication training are :

• Providing basic knowledge about the background of the HACCP approach
• Imparting knowledge and understanding of HACCP methodology, developing HACCP concepts and document management
• Strengthening skills for evaluating HACCP concepts

Practical examples and exercises are intended to strengthen an understanding of the practical application of HACCP concepts and promote the transfer of what has been learned into everyday work.

The overall objectives of the BTSF training course on Course 2: Control of GIs in the spirit drinks sector are:

• Goal 1: full grasp of the legal framework
• Goal 2: perfect command of the organisational aspects of controls
• Goal 3: in-depth knowledge of the preliminary steps of the control activity
• Goal 4: in-depth knowledge of official controls in the whole chain
• Goal 5: full awareness of the importance of correct reporting and communication activities
• Goal 6: complete integration of all the information provided in the course

The overall objectives of the BTSF training course on Control of PDO/PGI/TSG in the field of agricultural products and foodstuffs are:

• Goal 1: full grasp of the legal framework.
• Goal 2: perfect command of the organisational aspects of controls.
• Goal 3: in-depth knowledge of the preliminary steps of the control activity.
• Goal 4: in-depth knowledge of official controls in the whole chain.
• Goal 5: full awareness of the importance of correct reporting and communication activities.
• Goal 6: complete integration of all the information provided in the course.

The overall objectives of the BTSF training 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 overall objectives of the BTSF Training Programme/Course on Enforcement in SPS fields - STM Regional Workshop on African Swine Fever are:

• to strengthen the understanding of and to ensure compliance with the new animal health law and the special control measures for African swine fever
• to enhance capacities to prevent, control and eradicate ASF especially in wild boar
• to deliver a coordinated response to a serious animal health issue that affects various EU MS and might spread further in terms of a common and consistent understanding and application of key definitions and concepts of the new AHL and a harmonised and cross-border response to a serious multi-country animal health incident
• To identify best practice approaches to respond to ASF outbreaks
• To identify best practice to manage the wild boar population in the framework of ASF prevention, control and eradication in the short and long-terms

The objective of the training is to continue cooperation activities on information management systems at international level with a view to further raise awareness and contribute to a better understanding and more efficient use of existing EU SPS information management systems by the competent authorities and other stakeholders in non-EU countries.

It will also aim to facilitate their integration as active users in these systems and in the specific case of the TRACES system, support them in adapting it, in accordance with the principles used at EU level by this system, for the exchange of information both inside the country and between countries located in the same geographical region.

The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) is a Commission of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. It is developing the GET Prepared toolbox as a response to the gaps identified in emergency preparedness during outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases. The concept was developed in collaboration with DG SANTE Directorates and EuFMD Member Nations (MN) to facilitate the work of contingency planners and to promote their networking.

Organisation and implementation of training activities on the implementation of Union rules in relation to microbiological criteria and on the monitoring and control of zoonoses agents under the Better Training For Safer Food initiative.

The main goal of the BTSF Training Programme on Pest and plant protection risk assessment is to disseminate best practices for the implementation of principles and methods of food chain risk assessment, improving knowledge of this complex area of work and ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the European Union. 

• Objective 1: Promoting reduction of discrepancies in procedural aspects of risk assessment
• Objective 2: Contribute to the harmonisation of risk assessment approaches
• Objective 3: Contribute to increasing transparency and building trust amongst Member States’ authorities in each other’s risk assessments.
• Objective 4: Disseminate best practices for risk management and communication
• Objective 5: Promote exchange of experience in order to increase the level of expertise and harmonisation of approaches.

The overall objectives of the BTSF Training Programme on Plant disease outbreaks-contingency planning for priority pests are:

• Provide for a common understanding of the current state of play of suitable approaches to address outbreaks of priority pests in the EU territory
• Identify tools, procedures and reaction measures (generic and specific)
• Compare key elements of contingency plans and other preparedness elements elaborated by their respective MS
• Building capacity at national level for the planning and implementation of plant health contingency actions
• Developing specific skills, through training, simulation and the exchange of experience and best practices
• Ensuring the new skills, knowledge and best practices learned are disseminated effectively within MS

WEBINARS:

Besides the F2F workshops, six webinars of a duration of 3,5 hours each (3,5 hours plus 15 minutes of break) are foreseen to be delivered between February and July 2025. The purpose of these webinars is to provide very specific information about a specific topic, online, where participants interested in a determnined topic can deepen in it.

Each of the topics on their own will have a very specific audience, that would not be interested in attending or in dedicating additional time for other topics included in a F2F training. These practical trainings can respond to specific training needs on topics related to the course subject matter. Topics of the webinars will be the following:

• Topic 1 - Measures to be taken, from the moment of a suspicion of pest, to the full confirmation of a pest
• Topic 2 – Demarcation of areas
• Topic 3 – Communication
• Topic 4 - How to prepare a simulation exercise. Types of SE. Aspects to be considered
• Topic 5 - How to prepare an Action Plan
• Topic 6 – Outbreak management and eradication measures

The BTSF training course on Eco-toxicological risk assessment overall objectives is:

• At the end the trainee should be improved in his/her cognitive skills, knowledge and comprehension of the difference between hazard and risk and the general rules for the ecotoxicological risk evaluation.

The overall objectives of the BTSF training course on Production and trade of bivalve molluscs within and into the EU are to give participants:

• a good understanding of the risks posed by the consumption of bivalve molluscs
• the legislation that is intended to provide the basis for control of those risks
• the practical application of those controls

The main objective of the BTSF training course on Risk assessment applied to animal health and welfare is:

• to disseminate best practices for the implementation of principles and methods of food chain risk assessment, improving knowledge of this complex area of work and ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the European Union

The extended objectives of this training activity are:

• To promote exchange of experience in order to increase the level of expertise and harmonisation of approaches.
• To contribute to increasing transparency and building trust amongst Member States’ authorities in each other’s risk assessments.
• To contribute to the harmonisation of risk assessment approaches.
• To disseminate best practices for risk management and communication.
• To promoting reduction of discrepancies in procedural aspects of risk assessment.

The main objective of the BTSF training course on Risk assessment in nutrition is:

• to disseminate best practices for the implementation of principles and methods of food chain risk assessment, improving knowledge of this complex area of work and ensuring consistent and high implementation standards across the European Union.

The extended objectives of this training activity are:

• To promote exchange of experience in order to increase the level of expertise and harmonisation of approaches.
• To contribute to increasing transparency and building trust amongst Member States’ authorities in each other’s risk assessments.
• To contribute to the harmonisation of risk assessment approaches.
• To disseminate best practices for risk management and communication.
• To promoting reduction of discrepancies in procedural aspects of risk assessment.