FSA Interested parties letter (OCR 087), 10 March 2011

OFFICIAL CONTROLS - Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 (as amended) implementing Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 as regards the increased level of Official Controls on imports of certain feed and food of non-animal origin (Non-POAO)

I am writing to update you on developments following the fourth quarterly review of Annex I to Regulation 669/2009 that took place in Brussels on 7 March.

The Commission is hoping to present a proposed draft Commission Regulation amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) on 5 April 2011.  The draft Regulation is attached at Appendix 1 and is currently under consultation with other Commission services (including Legal Services) and may be subject to minor changes.

The main proposed changes to the list of products at Annex I, are outlined below: 

Aflatoxins controls

• Increasing the frequency of identity/ physical checks on groundnuts and derived products from India from 20% to 50%. 

Pesticide residues:

• de-listing of pears and courgettes arriving from Turkey.

New entries: 

• fresh chilli peppers arriving from Thailand – frequency of identity/physical checks 10% (Pesticide residues).

For a copy of the Commission's draft, see: Draft Proposed Regulation - March 2011