EN Official Journal of the European Union L 232/1

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2017/1529

of 7 September 2017

approving the basic substance sodium chloride in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, and amending the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC (1), and in particular Article 23(5) in conjunction with Article 13(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with Article 23(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the Commission received on 7 June 2016 an application from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (UK) and the Institut Technique de l'Agriculture Biologique (ITAB) for the approval of salt as a basic substance for use as a fungicide in mushrooms. In addition, the Commission received on 21 July 2016 an application from ITAB for the approval of sea salt as basic substance for use as a fungicide and insecticide in grapes. Since both applications concern the substance sodium chloride of food-grade quality, the applications were merged. The applications were accompanied by the information required by the second subparagraph of Article 23(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

(2) The Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority (hereinafter ‘the Authority’) for scientific assistance. The Authority presented to the Commission a Technical Report on sodium chloride on 20 January 2017 (2). The Commission presented the review report (3) and a draft of this Regulation to the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed on 23 March 2017 and finalised them for the meeting of that Committee on 20 July 2017.

(3) The documentation provided by the applicant shows that sodium chloride fulfils the criteria of a foodstuff as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4). Moreover, it is not predominantly used for plant protection purposes but nevertheless is useful in plant protection in a product consisting of the substance and water. Consequently, it is to be considered as a basic substance.

(4) It has appeared from the examinations made that sodium chloride may be expected to satisfy, in general, the requirements laid down in Article 23 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, in particular with regard to the uses which were examined and detailed in the Commission review report. It is therefore appropriate to approve sodium chloride as a basic substance.

(5) In accordance with Article 13(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 in conjunction with Article 6 thereof and in the light of current scientific and technical knowledge, it is, however, necessary to include certain conditions and restrictions.

(6) In accordance with Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 (5) should be amended accordingly.

(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Approval of a basic substance

The substance sodium chloride is approved as a basic substance as laid down in Annex I.

Article 2

Amendments to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 is amended in accordance with Annex II to this Regulation.

Article 3

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following 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, 7 September 2017. For the Commission The President Jean-Claude JUNCKER

(1) OJ L 309, 24.11.2009, p. 1.

(2) European Food Safety Authority, 2016; Outcome of the consultation with Member States and EFSA on the basic substance application for sodium chloride for use in plant protection as fungicide and bactericide in seed treatment and for disinfecting cutting tools. EFSA supporting publication 2016:EN-1091. 39 pp.

(3) http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticides-database/public/?event=activesubstance.selection&language=EN

(4) Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1).

(5) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 of 25 May 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the list of approved active substances (OJ L 153, 11.6.2011, p. 1).

ANNEX I Common Name, Identification Numbers IUPAC Name Purity (1) Date of approval Specific provisions Sodium chloride CAS No 7647-14-5 Sodium chloride 970 g/kg Food grade 28 September 2017 Only uses as basic substance being a fungicide and insecticide are approved. Sodium chloride shall be used in accordance with the specific conditions included in the conclusions of the review report on sodium chloride (SANTE/10383/2017) and in particular Appendices I and II thereof. (1) Further details on identity, specification and manner of use of basic substance are provided in the review report.