Proposed ASEAN Food Regulatory Framework Poses Big Challenge For SMEs - DON

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may face a huge challenge should a regulatory framework on food safety standards be implemented in ASEAN countries. This will prompt the SMEs to comply with a hazard analysis on food safety which requires expertise and knowledge that can be quite costly for most of them. "The hazard analysis on food safety requires a business to do checks on their food products safety level, and many SMEs employing five to six people may find hiring an expert can be costly," Prof Jorgen Schlundt of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University said. He said the process would be a challenge as ASEAN member states had to come to an agreement to implement the framework. "The European Union (EU) has a regulatory framework on food safety, which means all member states have to follow the regulation, whereas ASEAN does not have one," he said. Schlundt, who authored a white paper on the proposed implementation a food regulatory framework in ASEAN, said ASEAN was still at a stage of coming together to harmonise its food safety standards. "At present, there is only a statement of intention to have a common ground in implementing a food regulatory framework," he told reporters on the sidelines of the third EU-ASEAN Forum on Food Safety 2016 themed "Harmonising Food Safety Standards across EU and ASEAN", here Tuesday. ASEAN member states are in the midst of regulating a food regulatory framework on food safety standards to be on par with the EU. Organised by the EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the two-day forum starting Tuesday will witness the launch of the 2015 White Paper on the ASEAN Food Safety Regulatory Framework. In his keynote speech, Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hilmi Yahaya hopes the framework would come to fruition. "ASEAN member states have different levels of food safety. This regulatory framework would help us close that gap and come to a harmonisation level of agreement on food safety. "We can learn so much from the EU food regulatory framework and implement it here, which is expected on a five-year timeframe," he added. Hilmi said the harmonisation and control of food safety among ASEAN member states was one of the main agendas outlined in the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025. -- BERNAMA