Food Law News - EU - 2001
Standing Committee for Foodstuffs, Extract from minutes of meeting - 25 October 2001
ENFORCEMENT - Discussion on the co-ordinated programme for 2002
Exchange of views and possible opinion on a draft Commission Recommendation concerning a co-ordinated programme for the official control of foodstuffs for 2002. Sanco/3573/2001
The Commission presented for general discussion a draft Commission Recommendation regarding a co-ordinated programme for the official control of foodstuffs for 2002 (SANCO/3573/2001-Rev.2). In this proposal the Member States are invited to carry out inspections and controls including, where indicated, taking samples with the aim of:
- monitoring compliance with the Community rules on labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from GMOs;
- assessing the bacteriological safety of pre-cut fresh fruits and vegetables and of sprouted seeds;
- assessing the bacteriological safety of fruit and vegetable juices.
The Committee welcomed in general this proposal and a few improvements were suggested for clarity and a better presentation of the data, particularly in the Annex. Some concern was expressed about the requirement for laboratories to be accredited in conformity with article 3 of Directive 93/99/EEC, sampling and methods of analysis of genetically modified foodstuffs. On these points most of the Member States requested the Commission to introduce more flexibility in the Recommendation.
This proposal will be reviewed according the results of the discussion and submitted for consultation at the next meeting of the Committee.