EU Phytosanitary surveillance system 

and Veterinary border control

The protection of the future external EU border plays a major role in the Commission policy of EU enlargement. A safe border regime comprises beside the presence of police and custom the veterinary border control and the phytosanitary surveillance system.

The primary objective is to assure as much as possible that hazards to human or animal health are not imported into the Community. Hazards spreading from imported plants, plant products, animals or products of animal origin can harm consumer and agriculture and destroy consumer confidence in agricultural products.

The veterinary border inspection is necessary in order to:

Avoid import of hazards to animal health, particularly OIE list diseases, which have major economic impact;

Avoid importing diseases of less economic importance;

Avoid import of contaminated food (bacterial);

Avoid import of contaminated food (other residues);

Avoid import of hazards to human health

Microbiological hazards.

Other residues.

Avoid import of inadequately marked and labeled food.

The second objective is to avoid loosing a consignment, which is destined for transit through the territory of the EU and not qualified for import.

The import, transit and export of plants, animals and products of animal origin (food and non-food products) requires therefore an appropriate inspection system which has to be adapted according to Community standards.

BIP inspection is done with the EU wide uniform rules. This includes the facilities, the equipment and the procedures.

The following points are essential elements for carrying out BIP inspection according to EU requirements.

Facilities for having a proper access to consignments.

Equipment for doing a suitable inspection.

Uniform Procedures for exact identification of origin, safety and quality of the goods (Documentary check, Identity check and Physical examination).

Legislation harmonized with EU requirements.

Access to information (actual disease reports, OIE notifications, .......).

A close co-operation between the phytosanitary and veterinary authorities as well as the custom authorities. Phytosanitary and veterinary inspectors and customs officials work on different consignments but use the same or similar inspection methods.

Independency, impartiality and integrity of veterinary inspectors.

A uniform documentation and registration system, databases and statistics as a basis of a risk analysis.

The main purpose of the project is to assist the competent Lithuanian Authorities to harmonize their surveillance and control system with EU standards.