No C 178/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 7. 88 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISION 
Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 79/373/EEC on the marketing of 
compound feedingstuffs 
COM(88) 303 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 1 June 1988) 
(88/C 178/04) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas Directive 79/373/EEC ('), as last amended by 
Directive 87/235/EEC (2), lays down rules for the 
marketing of compound feedingstuffs within the 
Community; 
Whereas under present Community legislation, Member 
States may, in certain cases, waive the Community rules, 
particularly as regards labelling and the choice of ingre­
dients; 
Whereas, with a view to the completion of the internal 
market, all national derogations liable to further inhibit 
freedom of movement of compound feedingstuffs or 
creating unequal conditions of competition should be 
eliminated; 
Whereas the most appropriate method of eliminating all 
present disparities relating to labelling rules is to fix — at 
Community level — a list of declarations which, in each 
case, must or may be given on a voluntary basis by the 
person responsible for labelling; 
0) OJ No L 86, 6. 4. 1979, p. 30. 
O OJ No L 102, 14. 4. 1987, p. 34. Whereas, as regards labelling, the purpose of Directive 
79/373/EEC is to ensure that stock farmers are 
informed objectively and as accurately as possible as to 
the composition and use of the animal feed; whereas it is 
important to ensure that the accuracy of the statements 
made can be officially verified, in accordance with the 
relevant provisions laid down in the Directive, at all 
stages of marketing of the feed; 
Whereas the declaration of the ingredients in the animal 
feed constitutes, in some cases, an important item of 
information for stock farmers; 
Whereas the quantitative determination of the ingre­
dients in feed for productive stock raises at the present 
time, as regards verification, difficulties which — in 
certain cases — are practically insoluble, mainly because 
of the nature of the products used, of the complexity of 
the mixtures made or of the manufacturing methods 
adopted; 
Whereas, accordingly, it is appropriate — at this stage 
— to prefer, at least for feed for productive stock, a 
flexible declaration arrangement confined to the indi­
cation of the feed ingredients without stating their 
quantity; whereas the possibility must also be retained of 
creating categories making it possible to group under a 
single name several ingredients derived from the same 
basic product; 
Whereas special provisions are needed for the labelling 
of feedingstuffs for pets to allow for the special character 
of this kind of feed; 
Whereas producers of compound feedingstuffs must be 
free to provide the stock farmer with information other 
than that specifically laid down in the Directive, but 
provision of such additional information should be made 
subject to certain conditions or restrictions to ensure fair 
competition between producers and to ensure that such 
information is objective; 
7. 7. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 178/5 
Whereas Directive 79/373/EEC now enables Member 
States to require that compound feedingstuffs be manu­
factured on the basis of specified ingredients or be free 
of certain ingredients; whereas the obstacles resulting 
from such limitations must be eliminated by providing 
for the establishment, at Community level, of a list of 
ingredients use of which must be prohibited in order to 
protect animal or human health; 
Whereas the establishment of a list of ingredients, use of 
which must be prohibited in the future is a scientific 
measure; whereas, to facilitate adoption of such a 
measure, the procedure introducing close cooperation 
between the Member States within the Standing 
Committee for Feedingstuffs should be followed, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
Directive 79/373/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
1. The following point is added to Article 1 (2): 
'(g) the approximation of the laws of the Member 
States relating to the making up, by weight or 
by volume, of certain prepackaged products.' 
2. The following point is added to Article 2: 
'(1) the minimum storage life of a compound feed-
ingstuff: the date until which, under proper 
storage conditions, the feedingstuff retains its 
specific properties.' 
3. Article 5 is replaced by the following: 
'Article 5 
1. Member States shall prescribe that compound 
feedingstuffs may be marketed only if the particulars 
listed below, which shall be clearly visible, legible 
and indelible and for which the producer, packer, 
importer, seller or distributor established within the 
Community shall be held responsible, are shown, in 
a space provided for that purpose, on the packaging, 
on the container or on a label attached thereto: 
(a) the description "complete feedingstuff", 
"complementary feedingstuff", "mineral feed­
ingstuff, "molassed feedingstuff", "complete 
milk replacer feed" or "complementary milk 
replacer feed", as appropriate; (b) the species or category of animal for which the 
compound feedingstuff is intended; 
(c) the purpose for which the feedingstuff is 
intended; 
(d) directions for the proper use of the feedingstuff, 
if this is not clear from the particulars referred to 
in (b) and (c); 
(e) for all compound feedingstuffs except those 
intended for pets other than dogs and cats: the 
ingredients to be declared in accordance with 
Article 5c; 
(f) where appropriate, the declarations of the 
analytical constituents in the cases provided for 
in Part A of the Annex; 
(g) the declarations provided for in Part B of the 
Annex in accordance with columns 1, 2 and 3; 
(h) the name or business name and the address or 
registered place of business of the person 
responsible for the particulars referred to in this 
paragraph; 
(i) the net quantity expressed in units of mass in the 
case of solid products, or in units of mass or 
volume in the case of liquid products; 
(j) the minimum storage life, to be indicated in 
accordance with Article 5d (1); 
(k) the date of manufacture, to be indicated in 
accordance with Article 5d (2). 
2. Member States shall prescribe that compound 
feedingstuffs, when marketed in tankers or similar 
vehicles or in accordance with Article 4 (2), shall be 
accompanied by a document containing the 
particulars referred to in paragraph 1. For small 
quantities of feedingstuffs intended for the final user, 
these particulars may be brought to the purchaser's 
attention by means of an appropriate notice at the 
point of sale. 
3. Member States shall prescribe that the 
following particulars only may be put on the 
package, container, label or accompanying 
document of compound feedingstuffs, in conjunction 
with the particulars listed in paragraph 1: 
(a) the identification mark or trade mark of the 
person responsible for the labelling particulars; 
(b) the batch number; 
(c) the country of production or manufacture; 
(d) the price of the product; 
(e) the description or trade name of the product; 
^oClB^ Official Journal of the European Communities B.B^ 
^f) for compound feedingstuffs intended for pets 
otherthandogsandcats^theingredientstobe 
declared in accordance with Articled 
^ where appropriate, particulars relating to the 
provisions of Article l^a^ 
^ an indication of the physical condition of the 
feedingstuff or the specific processing it has 
undergone^ 
^ where appropriate, the declarations of the 
analyticalconstituentsinthe cases providedfor 
inPartAoftheAnne^ 
^ the declarations provided for in Part B of the 
Anne^o in accordance with columnsl,^and^ 
^, member states may,for feedingstuffs produced 
and marketed on their territories^ 
^ permit the particulars specified in Article 
^CD ^to^f)and^tobeshownonlyinan 
accompanying documents 
^ prescribe an official code number enabling the 
manufacturer to be identified where the latter is 
not responsible for the labelling particulars' 
^, member states shall prescribe that^ 
^ in the case of compound feedingstuffs containing 
no more than three ingredients, the particulars 
referred to in paragraph 1^, ^ and, where 
appropriate,^shall not be required where the 
ingredients used appear clearly in the 
description, 
^ in the case of whole grain mnoes, the provisions 
referredtoin paragraph t^,^ and^ and 
paragraph^^and^shallnotapply^ 
^ the descriptions ^complete feedingstuffs or 
^complementary feedingstuffs in respect of feed^ 
ingstuffs intended for pets other than dogs or 
cats may be replaced by the description 
^compound feedingstuffs In this case, the 
declarations required or allowed shall be those 
laid down for complete feedingstuffs^ 
^ the minimum storage life may be marked outside 
the space reserved for the labelling particulars 
referred to in paragraph 1^ in this case, the 
expression ^minimum storage life^ shall be 
accompanied by an indication as to where the 
relevant date appears. D, r^or compound feedingstuffs for pets, the 
description in English ^compound feedingstuffs 
^complementary feedingstuffs and^completefeed 
ingstuff^ may be replaced by the description 
^compound pet food , ^complementary pet food^ 
and ^complete pet food^respectivelyB 
^, Articles ^aund^b are hereby deleted, 
^, The following Articles are inserted^ 
L ^hereadeclaration of the ingredients is given, 
all the ingredients must be mentioned, 
^, The listing of ingredients shall be subject to the 
following rules^ 
^ compound feedingstuffs intended for animals 
other than pets^ listing of ingredients in 
descending order by weights 
d^ compound feedingstuffs intended for petsiisting 
of ingredients either indicating the amount 
contained or naming them in descendingorder 
byweight, 
o. The ingredients shall be described by their 
specific names^ however, categories grouping several 
ingredients may be established in accordance with 
Article 10^b^ in this case, the indication of the 
specific name of theingredient may bereplacedby 
the name of the category to which the ingredient 
belongs, 
Useofoneof these twoformsofdeclarationshall 
exclude use of the other, save where one of the 
ingredients used belongs to none of the categories 
which have been defined^ in that case, the 
ingredient,designated by its specific name, shall be 
mentioned inorder of importanceasrelatedtothe 
categories, 
^t, ^here no measure has been adopted under 
Article 10^, member states may retain the 
ingredient categories they have determined and 
allow the indication of the ingredients to be replaced 
by that of the categories, 
^, The labelling of compound feedingstuffs for 
pets may also draw attention to the presence or low 
content of one or more ingredients which are 
essential aspects of the nature of the feedingstuff. In 
snch a case, the minimnm or maximum content, 
expressed in term, of percentage byweight of the 
ingredients incorporated, must be clearly indicated 
either opposite the statement drawing special 
attention to it or them or in the list of ingredients or 
7. 7. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 178/7 
by mentioning it or them and the percentage (s) by 
weight concerned opposite the corresponding 
category of ingredients. 
'Article 5d 
1. The minimum storage life shall be given by the 
following indications: 
— "use before " followed by the date (day, 
month and year) in the case of highly perishable 
feedingstuffs, 
— "best before " followed by the date (day, 
month and year) in the case of other feeding-
stuffs. 
Where other Community provisions concerning 
compound feedingstuffs require indication of a 
minimum storage life, only the earliest date shall be 
indicated. 
2. The date of manufacture shall be expressed as 
follows: 
"manufactured 'x' days, months, or years before the 
minimum storage life expiry date indicated". 
Where Article 5 (5) (d) is applied, the abovemen-
tioned entry shall be followed by an indication as to 
where that storage life is indicated/ 
Article 5e 
The person responsible for the labelling particulars 
of a compound feedingstuff may provide information 
in addition to that required under this Directive. 
However, such information: 
— may not be designed to indicate the presence or 
content of analytical constituents other than 
those the declaration of which is provided for in 
Article 5; ' — must not mislead the purchaser, in particular by 
attributing to the feedingstuff effects or proper­
ties that is does not possess or by suggesting that 
it possesses special characteristics when in fact all 
similar feedingstuffs possess such characteristics; 
— must not claim that the feedingstuff will prevent, 
treat or cure a disease; 
— must relate to objective or quantifiable factors 
which can be substantiated; 
— must be clearly separated from all the particulars 
specified in Article 5.' 
6. Article 6 is replaced by the following: 
Article 6 
Member States shall prescribe that the general 
provisions contained in Part A of the Annex shall 
apply when compound feedingstuffs are marketed.' 
7. Articles 7 and 8 are repealed. 
8. In Article 10: 
(a) point (b) is replaced by the following: 
'(b) categories grouping several ingredients may 
be established;' 
(b) the following point is added: 
'(d) a list of ingredients, the use of which is 
prohibited in compound feedingstuffs, may 
be established for public or animal health 
reasons.' 
9. Article 11 is replaced by the following: 
Article 11 
For the purposes of marketing, between the Member 
States, the particulars referred to in Article 5 shall be 
written in at least one of the national or official 
languages of the country of destination.' 
10. The Annex is replaced by the following: 
'ANNEX 
PART A. 
General provisions 
1. The levels indicated or to be declared relate to the weight of the compound feedingstuff as such, unless 
otherwise stated. 
2. The iron level in milk replacer feeds for calves of a live weight less than or equal to 70 kilograms must 
be at least 30 milligrams per kilogram of the complete feedingstuff at a moisture content of 12 %. 
No C 178/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 7. 88 
3. The level of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid shall not exceed 3,3 % of the dry matter in the case of 
compound feedingstuffs composed mainly of rice by-products and 2,2 % of the dry matter in other 
cases. 
However, that level may be exceeded in the case of: 
— compound feedingstuffs containing authorized mineral binding agents, 
— mineral compound feedingstuffs, and 
— compound feedingstuffs containing more than 50 % of sugar beet chips or sugar beet pulp, 
provided that the level is declared as a percentage of the feedingstuff as such. 
In the case of compound feedingstuffs with a level of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid not exceeding 
the limits stated in the paragraphs above, that level may also be declared. 
4. The feedingstuffs moisture content must be stated if it exceeds: 
— 7 % in the case of milk replacer feeds and other compound feedingstuffs with a milk-product 
content exceeding 40 °/o. 
— 5 % in the case of mineral feedingstuffs containing no organic substances, 
— 10 % in the case of mineral feedingstuffs containing organic substances, 
— 14 % in the case of other compound feedingstuffs. 
In the case of compound feedingstuffs with a moisture content not exceeding the limits stated in the 
paragraphs above, that content may also be declared. 
5. Where, on official inspection pursuant to Article 12, the composition of a compound feedingstuff other 
than for dogs and cats is found to depart from the declared composition, the following minimum 
tolerances shall be permitted, subject to Article 3: 
5.1. Where the content recorded is less than the declared content ('): 
5.1.1. Crude protein: 
— 2 units for declared contents of 20 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 20 % but not less than 
10 %. 
— 1 unit for declared contents of less than 10 %. 
5.1.2. Total sugar: 
— 2 units for declared contents of 20 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 20 % but not less than 
10 %, 
— 1 unit for declared contents of less than 10 %. 
5.1.3. Starch and total sugar plus starch: 
— 2,5 units for declared contents of 25 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 2,5 % but not less than 
10 %, 
— 1 unit for declared contents of less than 10 %. 
(') Tolerances for potassium, threonine and tryptophan to be included. 
German suggestion: potassium = sodium and magnesium 
threonine = methionine and lysine 
tryptophan = cystine 
7. 7. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 178/9 
5.1.4. Crude oils and fats: 
— 1,5 units for declared contents of 15 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 15 % but not less than 
8%, 
— 0,8 unit for declared contents of less than 8 %. 
5.1.5. Sodium, potassium and magnesium: 
— 1,5 units for declared contents of 15 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 15 % but not less than 
7,5 %, 
— 0,75 unit for declared contents of less than 7,5 % but not less than 5 %, 
— 15 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 5 % but not less than 
0,7 %, 
— 0,1 unit for declared contents of less than 0,7 %. 
5.1.6. Total phosphorus and calcium: 
— 1,2 units for declared contents of 16 % or more, 
— 7,5 °/o of the declared content for declared contents of less than 16 % but not less than 
12 %, 
— 0,9 unit for declared contents of less than 12 % but not less than 6 %, 
— 15 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 6 % but not less than 
1%, 
— 0,15 unit for declared contents of less than 1 %. 
5.1.7. Methionine, lysine and threonine: 
15 % of the declared content. 
5.1.8. Cystine and tryptophan: 
20 % of the declared content. 
5.2. Where the content recorded is more than the declared content: 
5.2.1. Moisture: 
— 1 unit for declared contents of 10 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 10 % but not less than 
5%, 
— 0,5 unit for declared contents of less than 5 %. 
5.2.2. Crude ash: 
— 1 unit for declared contents of 10 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 10 % but not less than 
5%, 
— 0,5 unit for declared contents of less than 5 %. 
5.2.3. Crude fibre: 
— 1,8 units for declared contents of 12 % or more, 
— 15 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 12 % but not less than 
6 %, 
— 0,9 unit for declared contents of less than 6 %. 
5.2.4. Ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid: 
— 1 unit for declared contents of 10 % or more, 
— 10 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 10 % but not less than 
4%, 
— 0,4 unit for declared contents of less than 4 %. 
No C 178/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 7. 88 
5.3. Where the variation noted is in the opposite direction to those referred to respectively in 5.1 and 
5.2: 
5.3.1. — crude protein, crude oils and fats, total sugar, starch: tolerance twice that permitted for 
these substances in 5.1, 
— total phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, crude ash, crude fibre: tolerance three 
times that permitted for those substances in 5.1 and 5.2. 
6. Where, on official inspection pursuant to Article 12, the composition of a compound feedingstuff for 
dogs and cats is found to depart from the declared composition, the following minimum tolerances shall 
be permitted, subject to Article 3: 
6.1. Where the content recorded is less than the declared content: 
6.1.1. Crude protein: 
— 3,2 units for declared contents of 20 % or more, 
— 16 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 20 % but not less than 
12,5 %, 
6.1.2. Crude oils and fats: 
2,5 units of the declared content. 
6.2. Where the content recorded is more than the declared content: 
6.2.1. Moisture: 
— 3 units for declared contents of 40 % or more, 
— 7,5 % of the declared content for declared contents of less than 40 % but not less than 
20 %, 
— 1,5 units for declared contents of less than 20 %; 
6.2.2. Crude ash: 
1,5 units of the declared content; 
6.2.3. Crude fibre: 
1 unit of the declared content; 
6.3. Where the variation noted is in the opposite direction to those referred to respectively in 6.1 and 
6.2: 
6.3.1. Crude protein: 
tolerance twice that permitted for that substance in 6.1.1; 
6.3.2. Crude oils and fats: 
identical tolerance to that permitted for that substance in 6.1.2; 
6.3.3. Crude ash, crude fibre: 
tolerance three times that permitted for those substances in 6.2.2 and 6.2.3.' 
7. 7. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 178/11 
PARTB 
Declaration of analytical constituents 
Fecdingstuffs 
0) 
Complete 
fiedingstuffi 
Complementary 
feddtngstuffi 
— Mineral Analytical constituents 
and levels 
(2) 
— Crude protein 
— Crude oils and fats 
— Crude fibre 
— Crude ash 
— Lysine 
— Methionine 
— Cystine 
— Threonine 
— Trytophan 
— Energy value 
— Starch 
— Total sugar (as 
sucrose) 
— Total sugar plus 
starch 
— Calcium 
— Sodium 
— Phosphorus 
— Magnesium 
— Potassium 
— Crude protein 
— Crude fibre 
— Crude ash 
— Crude oils and fats 
— Lysine 
— Calcium 
— Phosphorus 
— Sodium 
— Magnesium 
— Potassium Species or category of animal 
Compulsory declarations C 
recording to Article 5(1) at (g) 
(3) 
All animal species or 
categories except pet 
species other than dogs 
or cats 
— pigs 
— poultry 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
All animal species or 
categories 
Ruminants Optional declarations according 
to Article 5 (3) at 0) 
(4) 
Pet species other than 
dogs or cats 
— Animal species other 
than pigs 
— Animal species other 
than poultry 
All animal species or 
categories 
— Poultry (calculated 
accorcling to EEC 
method) 
— pigs & ruminants 
(calculated according 
to national official 
methods) 
All animal species or 
categories 
All animal species or 
categories 
Pigs 
Animal species other 
than ruminants 
All animal species or 
categories 
No C 178/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 7. 88 
Fccdingstuffs 
(1) 
Complementary 
Jeedtngstuffs 
— Molassed 
Complementary 
Jeedtngstuffs 
— Other Analytical constituents 
and levels 
(2) 
— Crude protein 
— Crude fibre 
— Total sugar (as 
sucrose) 
— Crude ash 
— Crude oils and fats 
— Calcium 
— Phosphorus 
— Sodium 
— Potassium 
— Magnesium > 0,5 % 
< 0,5% 
— Crude protein 
— Crude oils and fats 
— Crude fibre 
— Crude ash 
— Calcium > 5 % 
< 5% 
— Phosphorus > 2 % 
< 2% 
— Magnesium > 0,5 % 
< 0,5% 
— Sodium 
— Potassium 
— Lysine 
— Methionine 
— Cystine 
— Threonine 
— Tryptophan 
— Energy value 
— Starch 
— Total sugar (as 
sucrose) 
— Total sugar plus 
starch Species or category of animal 
Compulsory declarations ( 
according to Article 5(1) at (g) 
(3) 
All animal species or 
categories 
— 
— 
— 
— Ruminants 
All animal species or 
categories other than 
dogs and cats 
Animal species other 
than pets 
— 
Animal species other 
than pets 
— 
Ruminants 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— Optional declarations according 
to Article 5 (3) at (j) 
(4) 
All animal species or 
categories 
Animal species other 
than ruminants 
All animal species or 
categories 
Pet species other than 
dogs and cats 
Animal species other 
than pets 
— Animal species other 
than pets 
— Animal species other 
than ruminants and 
pets 
Animal species other 
than pets 
BB88 Official Journal of the European communities l^oCl^B13 
The Member States shallbringintoforceon 31 December 1989 the laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive.They shall forthwith inform 
the Commission thereof. 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.