International seminar debates rationalization of standards in the agricultural sector

The creation of standards that serve society and the agricultural sector with the rationalization of their functioning, determined by Minister Tereza Cristina (Agriculture, Livestock and Supply), was the theme of the international seminar Regulatory Impact Analysis, held at the Ministry's headquarters this Tuesday Monday (28).

“Regulation and regulations must create a good environment for production and generate social benefits”, explains the director of the Support and Standards Department of the Agricultural Defense Secretariat, Judi da Nóbrega. The Agriculture and Industry Confederations, CNA and CNI, respectively, are cooperating in this work.

Among the seminar participants are the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (Abiec), Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), Abraleite, Abrafrigo, Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), National Confederation of Industry (CNI), Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives (OCB), Instituto Pensar Agropecuária (IPA), Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Abimel, VivaLácteos.

Judi Nóbrega explained that a work plan was developed with two main goals: the adoption of good regulatory practices and the analysis of the impact of regulation, with the management of the stock of existing standards. From this, the Ministry will be able to decide whether there is a need for regulation, evaluating whether the acts are outdated, divergent or duplicated, adapting them to the production sector.

A consultancy carried out in 2017 identified that there are around 60 thousand health defense standards in Brazil. The reduction in this stock should last at least two years.

The interim Secretary of Agricultural Defense, Fernando Mendes, recalled that it will be necessary to use the figure of the “regulatory guillotine” to modernize the work of the public and private sectors. “Our largest food importers such as China, the United States, the European Union, among others, are closely watching our movements and regulatory practices. There are around 200 countries that consume our products and are directly or indirectly impacted by the regulations we produce here”, explained Mendes. In the undersecretary's assessment, quality and transparency standards are needed, combined with permanent dialogue with producers and society.

For Mapa's director of Studies and Prospecting, Luís Rangel, the expectation is to level what information and references currently exist on the topic of Regulatory Impact Analysis. “We don’t intend to be superficial. We want key answers to be able to induce efficient regulatory construction, with the partnership between the two departments, and, mainly, identify national or international references that can collaborate with us and position us in relation to the state of the art in this matter”, explains the director.

Some themes are already being mapped for the start of regulatory impact analysis work, such as: milk, cocoa, coffee, bananas and shrimp. “These are issues that are out of balance from the perspective of risk perception”, highlights Rangel.

The director of the executive secretariat of the Ministry of Economy, Kélvia Albuquerque, informed that around 774 standards are created in the country per working day, which requires improvement in regulation.