As políticas públicas de segurança alimentar em Portugal Continental
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2017-06-14
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A segurança alimentar envolve em Portugal, como em muitos Países da Europa e do Mundo muitos trabalhadores, atividades e interesses distintos, muitas vezes conflituantes. Em toda a Europa, apesar de existir legislação comunitária comum e de aplicação obrigatória nos vários Estados Membros, compete a cada País organizar as suas estratégias para implementar e monitorizar diferentes regulamentos, estruturar a complexa rede de informação e comunicação, e designar legalmente as instituições responsáveis.
Em Portugal, o Plano Nacional de Controlo Plurianual Integrado (PNCPI), coordenado pela Direção Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, reúne num mesmo documento, todos os planos e programas relativos a todos os controlos oficiais e é obrigatório, pela aplicação do Regulamento (CE) n.º 882/2004 em todos os Estados Membros. Os controlos oficiais constituem, no que diz respeito à cadeia alimentar, um elemento essencial para garantir um nível elevado de proteção da saúde, assegurando a aplicação correta da complexa legislação ao longo de toda a cadeia agroalimentar e promovendo a confiança junto dos consumidores.
Nesta tese é utilizada a metodologia AHP - Processo Analítico Hierárquico, por se tratar de grande utilidade em processos decisórios de políticas públicas em problemas complexos, como é o caso da segurança alimentar. É num quadro complexo, em que a independência e a transparência são princípios determinantes para a conceção de soluções credíveis, que agentes e consumidores esperam pela eficácia e prestígio do sistema de controlo.
O objetivo geral desta tese centra-se na análise da perceção dos diferentes intervenientes da cadeia alimentar, da produção ao consumidor, designados como stakeholders. Para tal, foi realizado um questionário online, onde foi solicitado aos participantes a sua perceção sobre a importância comparada entre os 6 objetivos estratégicos do PNCPI, o grau de cumprimento dos mesmos, bloqueios existentes e medidas alternativas a implementar.
Face à análise dos resultados obtidos no questionário, através da utilização do Software Expert Choice, a perceção geral dos stakeholders revelou que o controlo dos riscos e o cumprimento da legislação são os objetivos mais importantes do PNCPI. A falta de comunicação entre entidades públicas e a dispersão de organismos públicos foram
consideradas as maiores barreiras na implementação do PNCPI. Relativamente às medidas alternativas, as ações de sensibilização junto dos operadores foram as mais indicadas pelos diferentes stakeholders. Na construção de cenários, observam-se tendências agrupadas, confirmando os resultados obtidos na análise por stakeholder e sugerem que existem, entre os stakeholders considerados, diferenças ténues entre as perceções e possíveis expetativas de todos os parceiros. Com base nos resultados obtidos sugere-se que, ainda que os tomadores de decisões políticas privilegiem um dos stakeholders considerados, possa existir um consenso alargado entre associações, produtores, agentes públicos e consumidores, tendo em vista a prossecução dos objetivos estratégicos do Plano Nacional de Controlo Plurianual Integrado.
Considera-se prioritário o desafio de coordenação das políticas públicas e de intervenção das diferentes instituições da administração pública. Parece também evidente a necessidade de uma distinção clara entre política e administração, resultando numa separação prática e física entre o processo político de tomada de decisão (Ministérios, Gabinetes e Parlamento) e a execução administrativa dessas decisões (concentradas na administração pública).
A melhoria da competitividade da Administração Pública, através da partilha e divulgação de informação entre diferentes entidades e a racionalização de recursos, cada vez mais escassos, poderia incentivar a utilização do conhecimento científico e a investigação de modo a sustentar e a inovar as metodologias de controlo. O papel dos institutos, universidades e investigadores da área da segurança alimentar, como parceiros institucionais, é relevante e representaria uma mais-valia para as atividades de coordenação, articulação e monitorização da implementação dos controlos oficiais em Portugal. Garantir a segurança alimentar significa o envolvimento de todos os intervenientes da cadeia alimentar, da produção primária ao consumidor final, o trabalho em rede e a assunção das responsabilidades de operadores, autoridades oficiais e consumidores.
In Portugal, as well as in many European countries and around the world, food safety involves the cooperation of many workers, activities and different interests, which very often are conflicting. Despite the existence of common EU legislation, mandatory in the Member States, each European country has to manage the organisation of strategies to implement and supervise different regulations, to structure the complex network of information and communication, and legally designate the institutions responsible for those tasks. In Portugal, the Integrated Multi-annual National Control Plan (MANCP), coordinated by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary, gathers all the plans and programmes regarding all official controls and, as a result of the application of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004, it is required in all Member States. With regard to the food chain, official controls are an essential element to provide a high level of health protection, assuring the correct application of complex legislation throughout the agri- food chain and promoting trust among consumers. In this thesis the AHP methodology - Analytical Hierarchical Process - was used, since it is very useful in decision-making processes of public policies related to complex issues such as food safety. It is within a complex framework, in which the immunity and transparency are key principles for the layout of reliable solutions, that agents and consumers expect the effectiveness and prestige of the control system to operate. The overall objective of this thesis focuses on the analysis of the perception of the distinct actors of the food chain, from production to consumers, referred to as stakeholders. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was conducted, in which participants were asked about their perception regarding the compared importance between the six strategic objectives of the MANCP, the degree of compliance of those objectives, the existing blockages and alternative measures to be implemented. Given the analysis of the results from the questionnaire, and through the use of the Software ExpertChoice, the general perception of the stakeholders revealed that risk control and compliance with legislation are the most important objectives of the MANCP. The lack of communication between public authorities and the dispersal of public bodies have been considered the major barriers when implementing the MANCP. Concerning the alternative measures, the stakeholders recommended mostly the awareness-raising actions towards operators. When studying the scenarios, grouped trends are observed confirming the results from the stakeholder analysis, and suggesting, among the considered stakeholders, the existence of minor differences in perception and possible expectations from all partners. Based on the results, although the political decision makers prioritise the considered stakeholders, it is suggested that there may be a extensive consensus among associations, producers, public officials and consumers, aimed at achieving the strategic objectives of the Integrated Multi-annual National Control Plan. The challenge of coordinating public policies and the response from the distinct institutions of public administration is considered a priority. It is also clear the demand for an accurate distinction between politics and administration, resulting in a practical and physical separation between the political decision-making process (Ministries, Offices and Parliament) and the administrative implementation of such decisions (aggregated in public administration). Improving the competitiveness in Public Administration, through the sharing and dissemination of information among different entities and the resource rationalisation, which is increasingly scarce, could promote the use of scientific knowledge and research in order to support and innovate control methodologies. The role of institutes, universities and researchers of the food safety area, as institutional partners, is relevant and represents an advantage to coordinating activities, liaison and monitoring of the implementation of official controls in Portugal. Ensuring food safety is a task that implies the involvement of all stakeholders in the food chain, from primary production to the final consumer, networking and the taking on of responsibilities by operators, official authorities and consumers.
In Portugal, as well as in many European countries and around the world, food safety involves the cooperation of many workers, activities and different interests, which very often are conflicting. Despite the existence of common EU legislation, mandatory in the Member States, each European country has to manage the organisation of strategies to implement and supervise different regulations, to structure the complex network of information and communication, and legally designate the institutions responsible for those tasks. In Portugal, the Integrated Multi-annual National Control Plan (MANCP), coordinated by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary, gathers all the plans and programmes regarding all official controls and, as a result of the application of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004, it is required in all Member States. With regard to the food chain, official controls are an essential element to provide a high level of health protection, assuring the correct application of complex legislation throughout the agri- food chain and promoting trust among consumers. In this thesis the AHP methodology - Analytical Hierarchical Process - was used, since it is very useful in decision-making processes of public policies related to complex issues such as food safety. It is within a complex framework, in which the immunity and transparency are key principles for the layout of reliable solutions, that agents and consumers expect the effectiveness and prestige of the control system to operate. The overall objective of this thesis focuses on the analysis of the perception of the distinct actors of the food chain, from production to consumers, referred to as stakeholders. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was conducted, in which participants were asked about their perception regarding the compared importance between the six strategic objectives of the MANCP, the degree of compliance of those objectives, the existing blockages and alternative measures to be implemented. Given the analysis of the results from the questionnaire, and through the use of the Software ExpertChoice, the general perception of the stakeholders revealed that risk control and compliance with legislation are the most important objectives of the MANCP. The lack of communication between public authorities and the dispersal of public bodies have been considered the major barriers when implementing the MANCP. Concerning the alternative measures, the stakeholders recommended mostly the awareness-raising actions towards operators. When studying the scenarios, grouped trends are observed confirming the results from the stakeholder analysis, and suggesting, among the considered stakeholders, the existence of minor differences in perception and possible expectations from all partners. Based on the results, although the political decision makers prioritise the considered stakeholders, it is suggested that there may be a extensive consensus among associations, producers, public officials and consumers, aimed at achieving the strategic objectives of the Integrated Multi-annual National Control Plan. The challenge of coordinating public policies and the response from the distinct institutions of public administration is considered a priority. It is also clear the demand for an accurate distinction between politics and administration, resulting in a practical and physical separation between the political decision-making process (Ministries, Offices and Parliament) and the administrative implementation of such decisions (aggregated in public administration). Improving the competitiveness in Public Administration, through the sharing and dissemination of information among different entities and the resource rationalisation, which is increasingly scarce, could promote the use of scientific knowledge and research in order to support and innovate control methodologies. The role of institutes, universities and researchers of the food safety area, as institutional partners, is relevant and represents an advantage to coordinating activities, liaison and monitoring of the implementation of official controls in Portugal. Ensuring food safety is a task that implies the involvement of all stakeholders in the food chain, from primary production to the final consumer, networking and the taking on of responsibilities by operators, official authorities and consumers.
Descrição
Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências Veterinárias
Palavras-chave
Segurança alimentar , Portugal Continental , Políticas públicas , Controlo oficial dos géneros alimentícios , Análise multicritério