The Commission stated that the SCF was now considering Ochratoxin A and Patulin but this would take some time. However they were anxious to proceed with Ochratoxin A and would be putting forward a proposal as soon as possible. They did agree that the adoption of a regulation on aflatoxins was the first priority.
The proposed timetable is for a further meeting in early July. It is the Commission’s intention to seek the comments of the European Trade Associations over the summer. A further meeting has been provisionally fixed for September 15 after which the regulation will be sent to the Standing Committee for Foodstuffs which is likely to be towards the end of the year. It will then be necessary for the text of the regulation to be submitted to the World Trade Organisation and the European Parliament for their opinion. The Standing Committee will then reconsider the text in the light of these opinions and formally adopt the text.