About BTSF and BTSF ACADEMY
What is BTSF?
Better Training for Safer Food (BTSF) is a European Commission training initiative to improve the knowledge and implementation of EU rules covering food safety, plant, animal, and One Health.
What are the BTSF objectives?
The main objectives are:
- Maintaining a high level of consumer protection and food safety, plant, animal and One Health
- Enhancing the uniformity, objectivity, and efficiency of official controls within the Union to ensure high competence levels amongst control staff
- Creating a level playing field for all food business operators
- Fostering greater uniformity in control procedures between EU and non-EU partners to maximize trade
- Providing open access to training materials on BTSF ACADEMY website
How is BTSF training delivered?
The basic training principles involve the delivery of information, knowledge/experience sharing and networking, and using the train-the-trainer approach to disseminate the knowledge attained. Training delivery may be through face-to-face courses, virtual classrooms or eLearning or a combination of these.
Training is usually organised by external contractors who design and deliver the courses using subject matter experts in close cooperation with DG SANTE technical units and deliver it through:
- Workshops. A group of participants (usually not more than 30) from several countries meet in one location to receive training and take part in practical exercises and group discussions.
- Sustained training missions (STMs). A group of participants (10-15) from one, or a regional grouping of countries, receive training on a specific subject delivered by one or two subject matter experts.
- eLearning in BTSF ACADEMY. Individuals take part in self-paced on-line learning including self-assessment exercises throughout the course. Currently there are 20 eLearning courses with 3 more under development.
Who can participate in BTSF training?
BTSF EU
Training is designed for staff of competent authorities in Member States and EFTA countries involved in official control activities to keep them up to date with all aspects of Union law and to ensure that controls are carried out in a uniform, objective and satisfactory manner. Training materials in the BTSF ACADEMY Library and eLearning courses are now available to the public.
BTSF non-EU
It is also essential that non-EU countries, and in particular developing countries, are familiar with EU import requirements and, where it exists, can avail of EU support.
For this purpose, appropriate training organised for Member States in the EU may also be open to participants from non-EU countries and specific training courses are also organised for non-EU participants in non-EU countries.
BTSF non-EU courses are also aimed at stakeholders, as well as governmental officials. The programmes include activities on various main themes of key interest to non-EU countries who have bi-lateral trade relations with the EU. The main themes are: food safety, plant health; animal health and animal welfare.
What is the BTSF ACADEMY?
BTSF ACADEMY is the European Commission’s single learning and information portal on BTSF training activities for competent authority staff and stakeholders in Member States and non-EU countries. Here you can find relevant information on:
- Training material (BTSF ACADEMY Library)
- Over 140 thematic training courses (eLearning, face-to-face courses and virtual classrooms)
- Contact details for BTSF National Contact Points
- Published reports and calls for tender
This consists of a collection of learning materials in BTSF ACADEMY from each of the BTSF training courses collated Dissemination Kits. They typically contain presentations, documents (e.g. course syllabus, agendas etc) and links to external resources.
The primary purpose of the BTSF ACADEMY Library is to assist officials to further disseminate the accumulated knowledge and learning materials developed for over 140 thematic courses in the BTSF initiative.
Officials can use each course’s dissemination kit to inform and train others after they have attended their training. You can find them at the bottom of each individual course folder.
Anyone, who is registered in the BTSF ACADEMY, has free access to the BTSF ACADEMY Library contents and may use it for personal learning or to develop additional training activities within their own organisations.
How do I get access to the BTSF ACADEMY Library
After Sign up/Login, and completing your registration (including all mandatory fields) in the BTSF ACADEMY Training Management System (TMS), you will get access to the BTSF ACADEMY Library.
How to apply for a course?
/ To apply for a face-to-face or virtual classroom training or remote workshop course listed within the BTSF ACADEMY TMS, please login to the TMS and see if there are courses and sessions of your interests. Note that F2F and remote sessions are only available for competent authorities.
To apply for an eLearning course in BTSF ACADEMY, please use the BTSF ACADEMY TMS, and use the "Apply here" button in the course of your interest. Please note some eLearning courses are restricted to officials. For restricted courses, if you have any questions about the selection criteria, please consult with your NCP.
NOTE: all BTSF ACADEMY users will need to have an EU Login account. If you don't have one yet you can simply create it at this link.
If you are a staff member working in the EU Institutions and wish to participate in any of the above courses, please send an email to SANTE-TRAININGFORSAFERFOOD@ec.europa.eu
What are BTSF National Contact Points (NCPs)?
BTSF National Contact Points coordinate participation in BTSF courses and liaise with the Commission services and contractors. They are designated for EU Member States, enlargement and neighbourhood countries, and some non-EU countries.
Who manages and delivers BTSF?
The European Commission sets the policy and strategy for BTSF including the BTSF ACADEMY and monitors its implementation. The European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) administers all phases of BTSF training contracts, from the launch of calls for tender, the evaluations of offers and the awarding of contracts to their conclusion. HaDEA is also responsible for BTSF ACADEMY administration.
What is the legal basis for BTSF?
Article 130 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (PDF) empowers the Commission to develop training for Member State and non-EU competent authority staff.