FSA Letter (OCR 005), 27 January, 2009
For a copy of the pdf file containing this letter and the draft Regulation, see: FSA Letter and Draft EU Regulation
The European Commission has just issued a further draft of the above Regulation and is proposing to present this for vote at the 12/13 February meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). This letter seeks views on the latest text.
To allow us time to consider any further comments that you may have before finalising the UK position for the SCoFCAH meeting, I must ask for responses as soon as possible and by Friday 6 February 2009 at the latest.
Latest Commission text
A copy of the latest text - Rev 23 - is at Appendix 1. This follows the Commission's meeting with industry stakeholders on 2 December 2008 to discuss their views on the draft Regulation. Changes from Rev 21 (on which I sought your comments in my letter of 10 October 2008) are highlighted. The existing safeguard measures that will be repealed by the proposed Regulation are identified, and there have been some changes to the list of ‘high-risk' products at Annex 1 (please note that the Commission has indicated that further changes to the list may be made before the Regulation enters into force).
Next steps
Our understanding is that subject to the outcome of the SCoFCAH meeting, the Regulation will be subject to a period of scrutiny by the European Parliament before it is adopted formally. Entry into force will be six months after adoption, and is likely to be during the second half of 2009.