Last update: 02/2004
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What is PHYSAN?
Objectives
How does it work?
Achievements
Who benefits?
The role of IDA
Background information
Technical information
Documentation
What is PHYSAN?
PHYSAN is a database framework which consolidates and enhances existing databases. It is primarily concerned with the implementation of legislation related to EU controls on crops, crop products, seeds (including plant varieties) and phytopharmaceutical products.
PHYSAN may be understood as an umbrella for a number of sub-projects:
- The European Network of Plant Health Information Systems (EUROPHYT) provides information on plant health;
- PEST (I, II, III, IV and V) - Physan Pesticides - handles pesticides and pesticide residue notifications by the European Commission and Member State administrations;
- CAT (I and II) - Physan Catalogue - updates catalogues of freely marketed seed products;
- FEED (I and II) - Physan Feedingstuff - centres on the use and marketing of feed additives in animal nutrition.
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Objectives
PHYSAN has been developed with the key objective of improving the efficiency of information exchanges between EU Member States and the European Commission. Each of its sub-divisions targets more specific areas of plant health, including pesticides, seed products and feed additives.
Each has its individual objective:
- EUROPHYT, for example, is designed to improve the exchange of official information between plant health services of the EU Member States and the European Commission.
- PEST - Physan Pesticides - aims to consolidate and harmonise the database of maximum pesticide residue levels for agricultural commodities by taking into account all of the key datasets used in consumer risk assessments.
- CAT's - Physan Catalogue - objective is to provide the Commission with the reliable information required for the management and publication of the Common Catalogues.
- FEED - Physan Feedingstuff - strives to facilitate the monitoring of authorised feed additives and to help the members of the Standing Committee on Animal Nutrition review the feed-additive dossiers.
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How does it work?
A centralised information system increases transparency by providing access to consolidated information through an easy-to-use interface. The database's query tools allow quick responses to possible questions in the various domains covered by PHYSAN. It also allows the electronic generation of HTML drafts to be sent to the Member States and of final SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language) proofs to be transmitted electronically to the OPOCE, enabling the publication of supplements and complete editions of the catalogues on a regular basis.
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Achievements
- Central databases have been created for EUROPHYT, CAT and PEST.
- A database for FEED is currently under development.
- A structured message-based interface, used by the national administrations for input and local querying, is also being tested.
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Who benefits?
Citizens: They benefit from increased food safety.
Public Administrations: The use of a centralised information system will reduce costs for all Member States and enhance the accuracy and standardisation of lists and reports. Member States have direct access to updated information on, for example, the evaluation and authorisation of plant protection products without having to request this information from the Commission. The electronic exchange of information leads to a harmonisation of the datasets in terms of content and codification systems used. By providing an up-to-date database and the possibility of exchanging messages electronically, PHYSAN facilitates communication between Member States and the Official Publications Office, thereby reducing the publication time.
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The role of IDA
IDA has funded the implementation of the project. The PHYSAN sub-projects made use of the IDA generic services and Architectural Guidelines.
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Background information
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For better understanding, PHYSAN must be seen in the light of the existing legal framework. A few examples are listed below:
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Directive 91/414 on the authorisation, use and control of plant protection products - insecticides, fungicides, herbicides etc. - adopted in 1991. This directive sets up a harmonised authorisation system for the active substances used in plant protection products at EU level. Member States may then approve products containing such EU-agreed substances for use on their territory. The 1991 rules make EU authorisations of active substances subject to a positive outcome of safety evaluations, for which producers must present data. This aims to improve safeguards to ensure that all such products in use are safe for the environment and human health.
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The EU Plant Health Regime was established in 1992; Council Directive 2000/29/EC details the measures and actions to be taken to prevent the introduction into and the spread within the European Union of organisms harmful to plants or plant products. This Directive was amended in November 2002 in order to improve the harmonisation and transparency of import procedures for plants and plant products and further adjust the EU Plant Health Regime in response to interceptions of harmful organisms on imported plants and plant products.
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The White Paper on Food Safety adopted in 2000, setting up the basis for a new legal framework for animal feed as the safety of food from animal origin begins with safe animal feed. It refers to the feed manufacturing industry's responsibility, and the need to subject the industry to the same rigorous requirements and controls as the food producing sector.
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Legislation on the pesticide Maximum Residual Levels (MRLs). In March 2003, the Commission adopted a proposal Regulation aiming to harmonise at a European level the MRLs of pesticides permitted in products of plant and animal origin.
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Technical information
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Project start date |
1993 |
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Project completion date |
2002 |
|
Project status |
Implementation |
|
IDA budget |
1,937,000 EUR |
|
Responsible service |
DG Health and Consumer Protection |
|
Project coordinator |
EUROPHYT Project coordinator: Steven Jones
CATALOG Project coordinator: Marcantonio Valvassori
PEST Project coordinator: Canice Nolan
FEED Project coordinator: Corrado Pampaloni |
|
Contact |
idabc@ec.europa.eu |
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Countries involved |
All EU Member States |
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Public website |
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm |
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Documentation: |
Print
Physan FEED GIP (PDF)
