COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 333/2007
of 28 March 2007
laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and benzo(a)pyrene in foodstuffs
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (1), in particular Article 11(4) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 of 8 February 1993 laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food (2) provides that maximum levels must be set for certain contaminants in foodstuffs in order to protect public health.
(2)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (3) establishes maximum levels for lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and benzo(a)pyrene in certain foodstuffs.
(3)
Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 lays down general principles for the official control of foodstuffs. However, in certain cases more specific provisions are necessary to ensure that official controls are performed in a harmonised manner in the Community.
(4)
The methods of sampling and analysis to be used for the official control of levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, 3-MCPD, inorganic tin and benzo(a)pyrene in certain foodstuffs are established in Commission Directive 2001/22/EC of 8 March 2001 laying down the sampling methods and the methods of analysis for the official control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and 3-MCPD in foodstuffs (4), Commission Directive 2004/16/EC of 12 February 2004 laying down the sampling methods and the methods of analysis for the official control of the levels of tin in canned foods (5) and Commission Directive 2005/10/EC of 4 February 2005 laying down the sampling methods and the methods of analysis for the official control of the levels of benzo(a)pyrene in foodstuffs (6), respectively.
(5)
Numerous provisions on sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and benzo(a)pyrene in foodstuffs are similar. Therefore, in the interest of clarity of legislation, it is appropriate to merge those provisions in one single legislative act.
(6)
Directives 2001/22/EC, 2004/16/EC and 2005/10/EC should therefore be repealed and replaced by a new Regulation.
(7)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. Sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and benzo(a)pyrene listed in sections 3, 4 and 6 of the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 shall be carried out in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
2. Paragraph 1 shall apply without prejudice to the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004.
Article 2
Directives 2001/22/EC, 2004/16/EC and 2005/10/EC are hereby repealed.
References to the repealed Directives shall be construed as references to this Regulation.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 June 2007.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 28 March 2007.