GlobalGAP has concluded its worldwide stakeholder consultation and outreach effort for its new standard version 2011 in Athens.

With a record of 50 countries contributing to the round table discussions, the Tour 2009 met the organisation’s expectations for the level and quality of comments received.

Nigel Garbutt, chairman of GlobalGAP, said: "By the end of our Tour 2009, more then 500 experts, among them many producers and their representatives, will have told us what they would like to see in our new Version 4. We saw strong interest in our integrity programme, where we assure high third-party auditor performance, in our proposals for residue monitoring, integrated pest management, smallholder implementation support tools and social risk assessment on farms."

Michael Scannell, advisor on international trade at the European Commission, said: “GlobalGAP carries out a very important and legitimate role, has a high profile at international level and has made commendable efforts at greater transparency, stakeholder consultation and costs reduction. My suggestion to you is to continue to harmonise agricultural standards, to work with the official authorities, reference and benchmark the standards to official, especially international standards, and engage more with international standard-setting organisations."

The tour stopped in Nairobi, Montevideo, Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC and finally Athens. GlobalGAP announced the extension of its public consultation period for the new version until end of December 2009, before it will be trialled in 2010 and launched at its next event in London next October.