16. 3. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 68/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending for the fourth time Directive 70/357/EEC 
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the antioxidants authorized for use 
in foodstuffs intended for human consumption 
(87/C 68/01) 
On 24 July 1986 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 
100 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which was 
responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 2 December 
1986 in the light of the report by Mr Gardner. 
At its 242nd plenary session (meeting of 16 December 1986), the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion unanimously: 
1. This Committee accepts this proposal which will end 
national derogations and therefore forms a small step 
towards a common market in food products. The alternative 
would be a further combination of national derogations. 
2. It should be emphasized that the present proposal must 
be considered a temporary one, pending the new additives 
proposals now under discussion and it should be reviewed 
when these proposals get to the stage of detailed drafts for 
Directives. These proposals should be drawn up and 
submitted as soon as possible. 
3. In its previous opinion (*), the Economic and Social 
Committee asked for a definite solution comprising: 
(a) a positive list of foods where this additive can be used, 
and authorized quantities for these additives; 
(b) clear labelling. 
3.1. The first of these conditions has been met in this 
proposal by incorporating into the main Directive Article 9 which gives authority to set such conditions and then setting 
out a detailed list of authorized food and quantities. 
3.2. Concerning the second of these conditions, the 
Labelling Directive (2) has been introduced and applied in all 
Member States since the original opinion was given. This 
requires the food to be clearly labelled with the category and 
the specific name of the additive, in this case calcium 
disodium ethylene diamine tetra-acetate, E 385. 
4. The Committee also wants to draw attention to the 
opinion on the 'completion of the internal market: 
Community legislation on foodstuffs' (3). This emphasizes 
the need to confirm the safety and the technical need of 
additives. 
4.1. In the case of calcium disodium EDTA, the safety in 
use has been evaluated by the Scientific Committee for Food 
which has given an acceptable ADI and agreed to the use 
within the limits proposed. 
4.2. The technical usefulness has been demonstrated in 
several Community countries, in particular: 
(>) OJNoC59, 8.3. 1978. (2) OJ No L 33, 8. 2. 1979. 
(3) OJ No C 328, 26. 12. 1986. 
No C 68/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 3. 87 
4.2.1. For certain types of mayonnaise eaten in some 
member countries calcium disodium EDTA helps to preserve 
the flavour of the oil. The same applies to certain condiment 
sauces. 
4.2.2. In some canned and bottled legumes calcium 
disodium EDTA helps to stop the natural colour from 
deteriorating. 
5. The draft proposal does not take account of a limited 
but effective use of EDTA — up to 100 ppm in low fat 
Done at Brussels, 16 December 1986. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee welcomes these proposals for 
amending the Directives dealing with health problems 
affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat and health 
and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of 
bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from third 
countries; their purpose is to further harmonize 
intra-Community trade and hence improve the operation of 
the common market and in particular the relevant common 
organization of markets. 
(') OJ No C 276, 1. 11. 1986, pp. 11 and 12. margarine (minarine). In these, the high water level provokes 
the action of heavy metals which help to deteriorate the fats 
or oils used and calcium disodium EDTA is useful in 
countering this. 
5.1. The Committee suggests that the Commission ask 
the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) to review this as a 
matter of urgency and include it, providing the SCF gives 
favourable advice. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
1.2. The Committee would refer to its previous opinions, 
in particular to its opinion on document 81/496/EEC of 
15 December 1981. In general it welcomes the fact that the 
present Community legislation is to be consolidated, updated 
and supplemented; this will make it possible both to 
liberalize trade and to improve consumer protection. 
1.3. At the same time, however, the Committee regrets 
the delay of one year in the deadline laid down in Articles 7 of 
Directive 64/433/EEC. Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 64/433/EEC on health 
problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat and the proposal for a Council Directive 
amending Directive 72/462/EEC on health and veterinary inspection problems upon importation of 
bovine animals and swine and fresh meat from third countries (l) 
(87/C 68/02) 
On 27 October 1986 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposals. 
The Section for Agriculture, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the 
subject, adopted its opinion on 4 December 1986, in the light of the oral report by Mr Wick. 
The Committee unanimously adopted the following opinion on 16 December 1986 during its 242nd 
plenary session held on 16 and 17 December 1986: 
The Committee approves the Commission proposal subject to the following comments: