FSA Consultation Letter, 10 March 2008

CONTAMINATION - Draft Chinese Rice Products (Restriction on First Placing on the Market) (England) Regulations 2008

The full consultation package is available on this site. See: Chinese Rice Products Consultation

The national regulations will implement an, as yet unpublished, Commission Decision on emergency measures regarding the unauthorised genetically modified organism 'Bt63' in rice and rice products originating, or consigned from, China. Responses are requested by 14 March 2008.

Consultation details

The European Community (EC) has adopted an emergency measure that will apply from 15 April 2008. It will require imports of rice and rice products (including composite products) originating or consigned from China to be certified as free of the unauthorised genetically modified organism 'Bt63'.

The emergency measure specifies that, from 15 April, rice and rice products originating in or consigned from China and falling within the Community Number (CN) codes shown in the document at the link below, may only be first placed on the EC market if:

• they are accompanied by an original analytical report issued by an official or accredited laboratory which demonstrates that the product does not contain Bt63, or
• satisfactory results of analysis are received by the food authority at the point of entry to the community, following sampling carried out by or under the supervision of that authority

European Union member states will be required to prevent any uncertified consignment from being placed on the market.

Food and feed business operators will be required to notify the Food Standards Agency immediately of any positive results for Bt63 from sampling activity they undertake.