COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGUL ATION (EU) 2022/1248 
of 19 July 2022
concer ning the author isation of essential oil from Origanum vulg are ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . as a feed 
additiv e for certain animal species 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUR OPEAN COMMISSION,
Havi ng regar d to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Havi ng rega rd to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 Sept ember 2003 on 
additives for use in animal nutr ition (1), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provid es for the author isation of additives for use in animal nutr ition and for the 
grounds and procedures for granting such an author isation. Article 10(2) of that Regulation provides for the 
re-evaluation of additives author ised pursuant to Council Directive 70/524/EEC (2).
(2) Essential oil from Origanum vulgare was author ised without a time limit in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC as 
a feed additive for all animal species. The additive was subsequently entered in the Regist er of feed additives as an 
existing product, in accordance with Article 10(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(3) In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 in conjunction with Article 7 thereof, an 
application was submitt ed for the re-evaluation of essential oil from Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . for all 
animal species.
(4) The applicant requeste d the additive to be classifie d in the additive catego ry ‘sensor y additives ’ and in the functional 
group ‘flavouring compo unds ’. That application was accompan ied by the particulars and documents required under 
Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(5) The European Food Safet y Author ity (‘the Auth ority’) concluded in its opinion of 12 Novem ber 2019 (3)that, under 
the proposed conditions of use, essential oil from Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . does not have adverse 
effects on animal health, consumer health or the environment. The Author ity also concluded that essential oil from 
Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . should be considered as an irritant to skin and eyes, and as a poten tial skin 
and respirato ry sensitizer . Theref ore, the Commission considers that appropr iate prot ective measures should be 
taken to prevent adverse effects on human health, in particular as regards the users of the additive.
(6) The Auth ority also concluded, that essential oil from Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . is recognised to 
flavour food and its function in feed would be essentially the same as that in food, theref ore, no further 
demonstration of efficacy is considered necessar y. It also verified the repor t on the methods of analysis of the feed 
additive in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(7) The assessment of essential oil from Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . shows that the conditions for 
author isation, as provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, are satisfied. According ly, the use of 
this substance should be author ised as specified in the Annex to this Regulation.
(1)OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29.
(2)Council Directive 70/524/EEC of 23 November 1970 concer ning additives in feeding stuffs (OJ L 270, 14.12.1970, p. 1).
(3)EFSA Jour nal 2019;17(12):5909.EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 20.7.2022 L 191/7  (8) The additive concer ned contains some components such as carvacrol and thymol for whic h zootec hnical effects 
have been demonstrat ed in certain additives already author ised. In order to prevent the use of doses of the additive 
which could poten tially lead to such zootec hnical effects, it is necessar y to establish a maximum content as a 
condition of use of essential oil from Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . as a flavouring in feed.
(9) Since safet y reasons do not require the immediate application of the modifications to the conditions of author isation 
of the substance concer ned, it is appropr iate to allow a transitional period for interest ed parties to prepare 
themselves to meet the new requirements resulting from the author isation.
(10) The measures provid ed for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committ ee on 
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGUL ATION:
Article 1
Author isation
The substance specified in the Annex, belonging to the additive cate gory ‘sensor y additives’ and to the functional group 
‘flavouring compo unds ’, is author ised as a feed additive in animal nutr ition, subject to the conditions laid down in that 
Annex.
Article 2
Transitional measures
1. The substance specified in the Annex and premixtures containing this substance, which are produced and labelled 
before 9 Febr uary 2023 in accordance with the rules applicable before 9 August 2022 may continue to be placed on the 
mark et and used until the existing stoc ks are exhaust ed.
2. Com pound feed and feed mat erials containing this substance as specified in the Annex whic h are produced and 
labelled before 9 August 2023 in accordance with the rules applicable before 9 August 2022 may continue to be placed on 
the mark et and used until the existing stoc ks are exhaust ed if they are intended for food-producing animals.
Article 3
Entr y into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day followi ng that of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 19 July 2022 .
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYENEN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 191/8 20.7.2022  ANNEX 
Identifica -
tion number 
of the 
additiveName of 
the holder 
of 
author isa-
tionAdditiveComposition, chemical formula, 
descr iption, analytical methodSpecies or categor y of 
animalMaxi -
mum 
ageMini -
mum 
contentMaximum 
conten t
Other provisionsEnd of period 
of 
author isationmg of active  
substance/kg of 
complet e feedi ng 
stuff with a moisture 
content of 12 %
Categor y: Sensor y additiv es. Functional group: Flavour ing compounds
2b317-e -
o-i- Essential oil from 
Origanum vulgare 
ssp. hirtum (Link) 
Ietsw .Additive composition:
Essential oil from Origanum vulgare 
ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw .
Char acter isation of the activ e substance:
Essential oil from Origanum vulgare 
ssp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw . as defined by 
the Council of Europe (1).
Carvacrol: ≥ 75 %
Thymol: ≤ 2,7 %
γ-Terpinene: ≤ 3,8 %
p-Cymene: ≤ 6,2 %
CoE number: 317
CAS number : 336185-21-8
FEMA number : 2660
Method of analys is(2)
For the determi nation of carvacrol 
(phy tochemical mark er) in the feed 
additive:
— gas chromat ography coupled to 
flame ionisation detection 
(GC-FID) – ISO 13171.Chick ens for 
fattening- - 22 1.The additive shall be incor porate d 
into feed in the form of a premixture.
2.In the directions for use of the additive 
and premixtures, the storage and sta­
bility conditions shall be indicated .
3.The mixture of essential oil from Or­
iganum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum (Link) 
Ietsw . with other author ised additives 
obtained from Origanum vulgare L. 
shall not be allowed in feeding stuffs.
4.For users of the additive and premix ­
tures, feed business operators shall es­
tablish operational procedures and 
organisational measures to address 
poten tial risks by inhalation, dermal 
contact or eyes contact. Where those 
risks cannot be eliminated or reduced 
to a minimum by such procedures and 
measures, the additive and premix ­
tures shall be used with personal pro­
tective equipment, including skin, 
eyes and breathing prote ction.9.8.2032
Laying hens - - 33
Turkeys for fattening - - 30
Piglets - - 40
Pigs for fattening - - 48
Sows - - 63
Dair y cows - - 57
Calves - - 100
Cattle for fattening, 
sheep, goats and 
horses- - 88
Rabbits - - 35
Dogs - - 106
Cats 18
Salmonids - - 101
Ornamental fish - - 150
(1)Natural sources of flavourings – Repor t No 2 (2007).
(2)Details of the methods of analysis are available at the following address of the Reference Laborato ry: https://joint-research-c entre.ec.europa.eu/eurl-fa-eurl-f eed-additives/eurl-fa-author isation/eurl-f a-evaluation- 
repor ts_enEN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 20.7.2022 L 191/9