FSA News Item, 4 September 2007
An update on the progress since May 2007 relating to the measures being taken to apply EU Regulation 882/2004 on official controls in the UK has been published by the Agency.
Introduction
Update ten contained information that the Agency was undertaking public consultation on the draft Official Feed and Food Controls ( England ) Regulations 2007 and on the parallel legislation being prepared in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland . This note highlights some further developments in relation to this legislation. It also provides information on publication of Revision 1 of the UK 's National Control Plan (2007 to 2011).
Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations 2007
New Statutory Instruments (SIs) to update and replace the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006 and the parallel legislation in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland are currently being prepared. In particular, the provisions in the existing legislation relating to third country import controls on feed/food of non-animal origin are being revised. This includes proposed amendments that will provide the legal basis needed to enable officers of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the enforcement authorities (local/port health authorities) to co-operate effectively.
The consultation documents indicated that we would be liaising further with HMRC to ensure that the proposed amendments were appropriate and sufficient. We have done so and now believe that an additional amendment is needed. The Agency has written to all interested parties included in the original consultations (in each of the four UK countries) to bring this further proposed amendment to their attention and to provide them with the opportunity to comment.
The letter also highlights that the Agency is proposing to update further some of the definitions of Community legislation in Schedule 1 of the SIs to reflect corrigenda that have very recently been issued by the European Commission.
Copies of the letters relating to the Sis in England , Wales and Northern Ireland are available. The letter relating to the SI in Scotland will be published shortly and this update will be amended to reflect this. Comments are requested by 21 September 2007.
Revised UK National Control Plan
Update eight contained information that the UK 's first National Control Plan, which was prepared in order to meet a requirement in Regulation 882/2004, was published in December 2006. This covers the period January 2007 to March 2011. The Agency and the four Agriculture/Rural Affairs Departments in the UK , as required by the Regulation, have recently reviewed the Plan and a revised version was published on 15 August. No substantive amendments have been made as a result of the review but the Plan has been updated to reflect organisational and legislative changes.
See also on this site: 15 August 2007 OFFICIAL CONTROL - Revised UK National Control Plan published