Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - EU - 2015

Council Meeting Outcome, 11 May 2015

CONTAMINANTS - Maximum levels for contaminants in foodstuffs – Council Discussions

The following are two extracts from the minutes of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting

Maximum levels for contaminants in foodstuffs

The Council decided not to oppose the adoption of the three following Commission regulations concerning maximum levels for contaminants in foodstuffs:

• a regulation reducing the dietary exposure to lead in food by lowering existing maximum levels and setting additional maximum levels for lead in relevant commodities (7159/15)
• a regulation amending or establishing new maximum levels of inorganic arsenic in foodstuffs (7208/15)
• a regulation amending the maximum levels of ppolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Katsuobushi, a traditional Japanese food, and certain smoked Baltic herring (7620/15)

The Commission regulations are subject to the so called regulatory procedure with scrutiny. This means that now that the Council has given its consent, the Commission may adopt them, unless the European Parliament objects.

Maximum level for ochratoxin A

The Council decided not to oppose the adoption of a Commission regulation setting a new maximum level for ochratoxin A in Capsicum spp. spices (7655/15).

The Commission regulation is subject to the so called regulatory procedure with scrutiny. This means that now that the Council has given its consent, the Commission may adopt it, unless the European Parliament objects.