Expertise

The EURL-AP provides scientific and technical assistance to the DG Sanco in relation to the development of European Commission feed legislation.  Typically this assistance on request of the European Commission can occur through different ways :  

• Organization of collaborative studies including reporting
• Elaboration of technical or scientific notes
• State of the art of methods or techniques

The EURL-AP’s expertise is also requested for solving crises or incident linked to the incorrect use of prohibited animal proteins. Official counter analyses and related reporting belongs therefore also to the EURL-AP scope of activities for the benefits of the European authorities and NRLs.

In order to keep its scientific and technical skills at the highest possible level of excellence, the EURL-AP as a part of the hosting institute, the Walloon Agricultural Research Centre is working under ISO 17025 accredidation.  Not only maintain but also extension of the ISO 17025 scope is a continuous concern.

Conferences and meetings

Getting information and sharing results with the scientific community is crucial for informing the European authorities.  So EURL-AP scientists participate yearly to international forums or committees of official organizations dealing with the detection and identification of animal proteins in feedstuffs. The EURL-AP is attending meetings from the next scientific institutions and groups :

• European Food Safety Authority
• Joint Research Centre
• European Committee for Standardization

In order to fulfill his role the EURL-AP is also attending meetings, workshops and conferences with research societies and groups participating in the development of standardized methods, news analytical methods for the detection of animal proteins in feedstuffs and their implementation.  EURL-AP scientists are actively participating to meetings together with the following organizations:

• International Association for Feedingstuff Analysis – section feedingstuff microscopy
• American oil chemists’ society – Agricultural microscopy division
• CEMA

Additionally numerous contacts and collaborative works are realized with universities and research centres :

• Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium)
• State University of Liège – Faculty of Agronomy of Gembloux (Belgium)
• China Agricultural University (China)
• Joint Research Centre (European Union)
• CCL-Nutrilab (The Netherlands)
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)