Vienna Kick-Off meeting (16 June 2003):

The Project kick-off meeting took place on June 16, in Vienna, with the participation of representatives of the 10 partners CEECs Federations. The programme of activities was defined for each CEEC Federation.

Brussels Seminar (6-11 October 2003):

For the Food Safety action the first main event was the CIAA Brussels Seminar to support the introduction of systems and methodologies -GHP and HACCP etc.-in order to ensure food safety in the CEECs food industries. The Seminar, which focused mainly on the sectors of dairy, meat and fruit juices and vegetal preserves, provided a full perspective of the issues at stake, the consumer and market needs and rationale, the regulatory framework and the industry results.

The Seminar was attended by 30 selected delegates from the 10 CEECs , representatives of the National Food and Drinks Associations, leading industrialists and representatives of the national agencies related to food industry and trade sectors.

Trainers Seminar (19-23 January 2004):

The BSP Trainers Training Workshop took place in Prague, Czech Republic between 19-23 January 2004 brought together 27 experts from all the 10 CEEC countries participating in the BSP Project. The Workshop aimed at providing the know-how and tools necessary for these experts to fulfil their task of going out to selected companies and assist them in improving their food safety systems, notably in their implementation of GHP and the improvement of HACCP.

The trained experts will start working with approximately 370 companies across central and eastern Europe to improve their systems and ensure a high level of food safety.

Diffusion Seminars (25th February -20 April):

Over recent months, CIAA has co-organized with its Partner Food and Drinks Federations in Central and Eastern Europe in the framework of the BSP Project Diffusion Seminars in six of the acceding countries namely the Czech Republic (25 February), Estonia (2 March), Poland (4 March), Romania (12 March), Lithuania (19 March) and Bulgaria (22 March) in the framework of the BSP Project.

The objectives of the Diffusion Seminars were mainly: to present Food Safety Issues and the solutions brought about by the implementation of GHP and improved HACCP; to explain BSP Food Safety Action, announce its beginning and present companies, experts and expected results; to provide a valuable communication event for the National Federation as an operating body, directly supporting national industries and safety/quality and finally to provide a good promotion for the BSP project.

The audiences in the countries included representatives of the National food industry, business and authorities relevant for food industry, the general public and press, national experts (trainees) and some representatives of selected companies. CIAA-BSP experts held presentations on relevant food safety issues and food safety management systems including specific 'know-how' from the meat, dairy and fruit juices sectors. The attendance in average was of 75 participants.

The next diffusion seminars take place in in Slovenia (2 April), Latvia (6 April), Slovakia (16 April) and Hungary (20 April).

The Seminars will be followed by direct technical activities in companies in each of the CEECs.

Supply Chain Seminars:

Czech Republic (June 2004)
Poland (November 2004)
In preparation.