09.07.2010; Emergency measures applicable to consignments of aquaculture products imported from India and intended for human consumption
Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 lays down the general principles governing food and feed in general, and food and feed safety in particular, at European Community and national level. It provides for emergency measures where it is evident that food or feed imported from a third country is likely to constitute a serious risk to human health, animal health or the environment, and that such risk cannot be contained satisfactorily by means of measures taken by the EU Member State(s) concerned.
The results of a European Commission inspection to
India in September 2009 have revealed shortcomings as regards the residue control system in aquaculture products and a lack of appropriate laboratory capacity for detecting certain pharmacologically active substances in such products.
Following that inspection,
India has submitted an action plan and guarantees addressing the recommendations in the inspection report. Pending the full implementation of that plan and of those guarantees, the risk remains that aquaculture products originating from
India contain residues of certain pharmacologically active substances. Further measures are therefore required at Union level to minimise that risk.
Commission Decision 2009/727/ already provides that consignments of crustaceans of aquaculture origin introduced from India and intended for human consumption or animal feed are to be tested for the presence of nitrofurans or their metabolites before they are imported into the Union. In addition, in aquaculture products other than crustaceans, chloramphenicol and tetracyclines are also known to be used in
India . It is appropriate to adopt measures similar to those laid down in that Decision in respect of all aquaculture products imported from
India and intended for human consumption.
Therefore certain emergency measures are now applicable with a new Commission Decision to the importation of consignments of aquaculture products from
India intended for human consumption.
The scope of the new Decision also includes crustaceans of aquaculture origin currently covered by Decision 2009/727/EC. Accordingly, in the interest of clarity and consistency of Union legislation, that Decision has been repealed.
Vetimpleg explains the consequences.
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