PURPOSE : to amend Directive 95/53/EC on the organisation of official inspections in the field of animal inspections and Directive 99/29/EC on undesirable products in animal nutrition in order to improve feed safety following the dioxin crisis.
CONTENT : The main purpose of Directive 95/53/EC is the harmonisation of official inspections carried out by Member States both regarding imports and trade within the Community. Following the dioxin crisis, a legislative programme to improve food safety included a review of this Directive. The review discovered various problems, particularly deficiencies in managing the crisis and poor co-ordination between different authorities. It also noted that the requirement to inform the official authorities about feed problems, which are currently part of Directive 99/29/EC should be repealed and included in Directive 95/53/EC. The amendments will lay down a legal base for action if there is serious contamination and provide Member States with a proper operational structure in the feed sector.
The amendments to Directive 95/53/EC may be summarised as follows:
- Member States must have adequate contingency plans to deal with serious feed risks;
- The Commission will be able to take interim protective measures concerning feedingstuffs if there are serious risks to health or the environment;
- Member States must inform the Commission as soon as serious contamination or risk is detected and has spread to feed or is likely to spread to other countries. This information must be provided in a harmonised form;
- Member States must warn the Commission of increases in frequency of a hazard;
- Member States must include in their annual report on inspection all information on occasional, limited contamination or hazards;
- On the basis of the annual reports, the Commission will adopt a decision instead of a recommendation, to ensure the implementation of the co-ordinated inspection programmes for the following year;
- The exchange of information for emergencies on animal nutrition will be operated by the current system for emergency notifications related to food.
By monitoring at Community level, special conditions to approve establishments handling certain products where hazards are detected can be made on the basis of experience.�