What is DG SANTE?
DG SANTE is the acronym for the Commission´s Directorate-General* for Health and Food Safety. It is responsible for EU policy on food safety and health and for monitoring the implementation of related laws.
* The EU Commission is steered by a group of 27 Commissioners, known as “the college”. Together they take decisions on the Commission’s political and strategic direction. The Commission is organized into policy departments, known as Directorates-General (DGs). DGs develop, implement, and manage EU policy, law, and funding programs.
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What is TRACES?
TRACES stands for TRAde Control and Expert System.
TRACES is the European Commission´s online platform for sanitary and phytosanitary certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union, and the intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products.
The main objective of TRACES is to streamline the certification process and all linked entry procedures and to offer a fully digitized and paperless workflow. It facilitates the exchange of data, information and documents between all involved trading parties and control authorities. The possibility to trace back and forth all the movements contributes to the reduction of the impact of disease outbreaks and allows for a quick response to counter certain serious risks along the agri-food chain.
Animal derived products entering the European Community must come from, and go to, establishments which are listed in TRACES - both in the European Community and in 3rd countries (there are exceptions - see Guidance Document).
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What is meant by “sections under TRACES”?
“Sections” refers to the activities a facility is approved or registered for and listed in TRACES. These include Slaughterhouses; Dairy plants; Other facilities for the collection or handling of animal by-products; Processing plants; Plants manufacturing intermediate products; Establishments or plants for the storage of derived products; or Blood and blood products, excluding of equidae, for technical purposes other than feed for animals. If you are unsure under which section your facility should be listed, please contact your local competent authority. For more details, refer to the ISIA/MedTech Europe Guidance Document.
