Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Council Minutes, 26 October 2015
The following is an extract from the minutes of the Environment Council meeting:
The Council confirmed an agreement reached in the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) on a general approach at first reading on a proposal for a regulation on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health, plant reproductive material, plant protection products (Official controls regulation) (13209/15).
The aim of the proposal is to simplify and streamline the existing legal framework on official controls (regulation No 882/2004) and to establish a unique set of rules applicable to all sectors in order to improve the efficiency of official controls performed by the member states along the food chain while minimising the burden for operators.
A general approach is a political agreement on the position of the Council on a proposal for a regulation in the framework of the ordinary legislative procedure (co-decision). The agreement on official controls regulation will make it possible to launch negotiations between the Parliament and the Council with a view to reaching a political agreement between the EU institutions. The European Parliament approved its position on 15 Avril 2015.
A copy of the agreed position is available on this site. See: 13209/15 - 9464/13 - COM(2013) 265 final
