30.3.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC79/17
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveamendingDirective74/63/EECconcerning
undesirablesubstancesinanimalfeedingstuffs(')
(92/C79/08)
On13November1991theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee ,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon9January1992.TheRapporteurwas
MrMayayoBello.
Atits293rdplenarysession(meetingof30January1992),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
unanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
appliedproperly,soastoavoidpossibleadverseeffects
onconsumerhealth.
1.5.Inthecaseofcertainproducts,suchasaflatoxin,
thesolutionmightbeanEC-approveddetoxification
process.
1.6.TheCommitteeaskstheCommissiontopropose
asystemofacceptablecriteriafordefiningadecontami­
natedproduct.1.Generalcomments
1.1.TheCommitteewelcomesthefactthat,insub­
mittingthisproposal,theCommissionattachesgreater
importancetotherawmaterialssector.
1.1.1.Theproposalintroducescontrolsaimedat
reducingtherisktoanimalfeedingstuffsfromheavily
contaminated rawmaterials.
1.2.Thereisanincreasingtendencytogivefeeding­
stuffstoanimalslivingfreelyinthewild,inorderto
mitigatetheeffectsofwinter,drought,andothercli­
maticfactors.
1.3.TheCommitteethereforeendorsesthemoveto
extendtheDirectivetocoveranimalslivingfreelyin
thewild.
1.3.1.However,theCommitteefeelsthattheDirec­
tiveshouldgofurthertoprotectfoodeatenbysuch
animals;atpresentitonlyreferstofeedingstuffspro­
videdbymantosupplementtheirdiet.
1.3.2.TheDirectivedoesnotallowforthefactthat
suchanimalsmayfeedonproductsinareaswhich
areseriouslycontaminated byindustrialdischargesof
heavymetalssuchasfluorine,cadmiumorlead,or
occasionallybyfungicidesthatproducesignificant
microtoxins .
1.3.3.TheCommitteethereforeconsidersthatthe
Directiveshouldincludeprovisionforatemporaryban
onhuntingandexploitationofgameanimalsinsuch
areas.
1.4.Itisvitalthattheprovisiononthemaximum
levelofundesirablesubstancesinfeedingstuffs be2.Specificcomments
2.1.TheCommitteeproposesthatproductsdestined
foranimalconsumption ,andforcompoundfeeding­
stuffsinparticular,shouldbeaccompaniedbyalabel
informingtheconsumer,inclearterms,ofthecompo­
sitionandqualityoftheproduct.
2.2.TheCommitteeproposesthattheDirective
shouldapplyfirstandforemosttorawmaterials,in
ordertopreventthecontaminatoryproductorundesir­
ablesubstancefindingitsway,indilutedform,intoa
compoundfeedingstuff,wherethereisariskofover­
steppingthemaximumtoxicitylevelslaiddowninthe
AnnextotheDirective.
2.3.Incaseswhereanexcessofundesirablematerial
isdetected,theCommitteeconsidersthattheauthorities
ofthecountryinvolvedshouldbeinformedanduseof
thecompoundfeedingstuffbebannedorwhereappro­
priate,theconsignmentdestroyed.
2.3.1.TheDirectiveshouldindicateinclearterms
thecircumstancesunderwhichaconsignmentmustbe
destroyedordenatured,layingdowncriteriaforthe
inspectionofsuspectconsignments (whetherthesecome
fromwithintheCommunityoroutside);thewarning
shouldbepassedontotheCommissionortothe
StandingCommitteeforfeedingstuffs . (>)OJNoC288,6.11.1991,p.6.

NoC79/18 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 30.3.92
2.5.TheCommitteeassumesthatthemaximumlevel
laiddownintheAnnextotheDirectiverefersto
biodegradablepartsofthosesubstancesandproducts
whichcanbeidentified.2.3.2.Toreinforcethesystem,anearlywarning
networkcouldbesetupfortheseproducts,similarto
thatexistingformedicinalproducts.
2.4.TheCommitteeendorsestheCommission's
decisiontoreplacetheterm'marketing'withthewords
'puttingonthemarket',asthiswillmakeitpossibleto
takeswifterandtougheractiontoeliminatecontamin­
atedconsignments .2.6.TheCommitteecallsforpropercontrolson
productsimportedfromthirdcountries,inaccordance
withCommunityregulations .
DoneatBrussels,30January1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH