The Commission had issued new versions of the documents on the 21 April, amended as expected and described previously (see 3 April 1998). In addition, the Commission has accepted that there may be a case for a two tier limit for cereals and has amended the table of the draft regulation to allow for this possibility, if industry can provide sufficient evidence of the effectiveness of physical clean-up procedures justifying a higher limit for the raw material. industry has until 1 July 1999 to convince Member States of its case. In the meantime, the limits for cereals will apply only to food ingredients and final foods. The Commission now proposes that the regulation will apply from 1 January 1999 to avoid transitional problems.

Most Member States appeared to be in favour of the revised documents. A number will offer drafting points before the end of the month. The Commission will then issue the final documents and will take a vote at the next meeting of the Standing Committee for Foodstuffs on 17 June.