2000/207/EC: Commission Recommendation of 22 February 2000 on a coordinated programme for the official control of foodstuffs for 2000 (notified under document number C(2000) 356) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2000-02-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European standard, carriage of goods, food inspection, foodstuff, labelling

L 63/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10.3.2000

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 22 February 2000

on a coordinated programme for the official control of foodstuffs for 2000

(notified under document number C(2000) 356)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2000/207/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/397/EEC of 14 June 1989 on the official control of foodstuffs (1),
and in particular Article 14(3) thereof,

After consultation of the Standing Committee for Foodstuffs,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

It is necessary, with a view to the sound operation of the internal market, to arrange for coordinated
food inspection programmes at Community level.

Such programmes place emphasis on compliance with Community legislation, the protection of
public health, consumer interests and fair trade practices.

Article 3 of Council Directive 93/99/EEC of 29 October 1993 on the subject of additional measures
concerning the official control of foodstuffs (2) requires the laboratories referred to in Article 7 of
Directive 89/397/EEC to comply with the criteria in European Standard EN45000 series. Only such
laboratories may be considered as laboratories suitable to carry out analyses within the coordinated
programme of official controls.

results

The
implementation of national programmes and coordinated
programmes can provide information and experience on which to base future control activities,

from simultaneous

HEREBY RECOMMENDS:

1. During 2000 Member States should carry out controls including, where indicated, taking samples and
to monitor

analysing such samples in laboratories and carrying out audits and/or inspections,
compliance with the following Community measures:

(a) Article 3(2) of Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (3)
concerning the application of the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) system in certain types of food businesses;

(b) Paragraph 2 of Chapter IV of the Annex to Directive 93/43/EEC concerning the bulk transport of

foodstuffs;

(c) Council Directive 90/496/EEC of 24 September 1990 on nutrition labelling for foodstuffs (4)

concerning nutritional claims on fruit-flavoured milk drinks, yoghurts and soft drinks.

2. Although sampling and/or inspection rates have not been set, Member States should ensure that they
are sufficient to provide an overview of the subject under consideration in each Member State.
Suggestions will be made for the methods of analysis.

3. Member States should provide information as requested following the format of the record sheets
provided in the Annex to this recommendation to help enhance the comparability of results.

(1) OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 23.
(2) OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p. 14.
(3) OJ L 175, 19.7.1993, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 276, 6.10.1990, p. 40.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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4.

Foodstuffs submitted for analysis under this programme should be submitted to laboratories
complying with the provisions of Article 3 of Directive 93/99/EEC.

5. HACCP in certain food businesses

5.1. Scope of the programme

Article 3(2) of Directive 93/43/EEC requires food business operations covered by the Directive to
apply certain principles of HACCP to their businesses in addition to the general hygiene requirements
contained in the Annex to that Directive. Since December 1995, food business operators habe been
required to have in place systems for the analysis and control of food safety hazards which may be
based on voluntary industry guides to good hygiene practice, where such guides exist. Article 5 of
Directive 93/43/EEC requires Member States to encourage the development of sectoral voluntary
Guides to Good Hygiene Practice which elaborate, for the sector concerned, the general hygiene
principles of the Annex to the Directive and the requirements relating to the application of the
principles of HACCP in Article 3(2).

Article 3(2) of Directive 93/43/EEC applies to all food businesses covered by the Directive regardless of
size or type of business. As the range of businesses which must comply with the provision is broad,
for the sake of comparability of results only, certain types and sizes of food businesses have been
selected. This selection does not in any way indicate that other businesses have more or less
responsability under that provision.

5.2. Method

The competent authorities of the Member States in the normal course of their duties should visit the
food business operations covered by Directive 93/43/EEC in the following categories:

(a) mass/industrial catering establishments,

(b) retail butchers selling directly to the consumer.

The results of the control should be recorded on the record sheets in the Annex.

6.

Transport of bulk foodstuffs

6.1. Scope of the programme

Chapter IV of the Annex to Directive 93/43/EEC specifically requires bulk foodstuffs in liquid,
granulate or powdered form to the transported in receptacles and/or containers/tankers reserved for
the transport of foodstuffs. For two classes of foodstuffs derogations to this provision have been
adopted by the Commission, namely in relation to the transport by sea of edible oils and fats, and raw
sugar. This element of the coordinated programme is designed to check whether foodstuffs which are
not covered by the derogations made under Article 4 of Directive 93/43/EEC comply with the
requirements relating to transport.

6.2. Method

The results of the following controls should be recorded on the record sheets in the Annex:

— on the premises of manufacturers of bulk foodstuffs of non-animal origin (oil, flour, starch, etc.),
controls should be carried out to check the condition, repair and cleanliness of the receptacles in
line with the general provisions of Chapter IV of the Annex to Directive 93/43/EEC and a record
kept. Controls should be carried out to establish whether the manufacturer has satisfactory
procedures in place to ensure that the receptacles or vessels used for the transport of the foodstuffs
are reserved for foodstuffs only;

— controls should be undertaken on the premises of carriers, in order to check the types of goods

carried by the examination of transport documents and by direct observation.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

10.3.2000

7. Nutrition labelling

7.1. Scope of the programme

Directive 90/496/EEC lays down specific labelling requirements for nutrients present in a food when
the labelling or presentation of the food comprises a nutrition claim. Foodstuffs for special nutritional
uses within the scope of Council Directive 89/398/EEC of 3 May 1989 on the approximation of the
laws of the Member States relating to foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses (1) are
excluded.

7.2. Method

Foods in two categories, fruit and vegetables juices, and fruit-flavoured milk drinks and yoghurts,
which are labelled claiming certain nutritional qualities should be sampled to examine whether the
nutritional claim is authorised and the wording is in conformity with the provisions of Directive
90/496/EEC. In addition, the sample should be analysed in order to establish whether the values in the
nutritional claim are accurate or within accepted tolerances. The results should be recorded on the
record sheets in the Annex.

Done at Brussels, 22 February 2000.

For the Commission

Erkki LIIKANEN

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 27.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

L 63/37

ANNEX

Member State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. HACCP in certain food businesses

— 1a. Business sector: mass catering establishments including industrial caterers

Only record one visit to a premises, not repeat or follow-up visits.

What was the total number of mass catering/industrial
catering businesses visited during the operation of this
programme?

Of those visited how many complied with Article 3(2) of
Directive 93/43/EEC on the application of the principles
of HACCP?

Does an approved voluntary guide to good hygiene prac-
tice exist for mass caterers/industrial caterers?

How many of the food businesses in this sector visited
had an approved voluntary guide to good hygiene prac-
tice?

In those businesses complying with Article 3(2) were
documents relating to the hazard analysis or the monito-
ring of CCPs present?

In the premises that did not comply with Article 3(2) what follow-up action was taken by the competent authorities?
Please record in the table below.

None

Verbal
warning

Written
warning

Written
instructions

Sale
prohibited

Administrative
penalties

Court action

Other

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Official Journal of the European Communities

10.3.2000

Member State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. HACCP in certain food businesses

— 1b. Business sector: retail butchers selling direct to the consumer

Only record one visit to a food business, not repeat or follow-up visits.

What was the total number of retail butchers visited
during the operation of this programme?

Of those visited how many complied with Article 3(2) of
Directive 93/43/EEC on the application of the principles
of HACCP?

Does an approved voluntary guide to good hygiene prac-
tice exist for retail butchers?

How many of the food businesses in this sector visited
had an approved voluntary guide to good hygiene prac-
tice?

In those businesses complying with Article 3(2) were
documents relating to the hazard analysis or the monito-
ring of CCPs present?

In the premises that did not comply with Article 3(2) what follow-up action was taken by the competent authorities?
Please record in the table below.

None

Verbal
warning

Written
warning

Written
instructions

Sale
prohibited

Administrative
penalties

Court action

Other

2.

Transport of bulk foodstuffs

2a.

Controls undertaken at the manufacturers of foodstuffs

Member State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Controls at manufacturers of foodstuffs from bulk liquid, granulate or powdered foodstuffs

Businesses' control procedures to monitor the
cleanliness and condition of receptacles and to
ensure receptacles are for foodstuffs only

Number of
controls

Number
of non-
conformities

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

None

None

Verbal warning

Measures taken where non-conformities detected

Written
warning

Improved
in-house
controls
required

Sale prohibited

Administrative
penalty

Court action

Other

2.

Transport of bulk foodstuffs

2b.

Controls undertaken at the carriers of bulk foodstuffs

Member State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Controls at carriers of bulk liquid, granulate or powdered foodstuffs

Businesses' control procedures to monitor the
cleanliness and condition of receptacles and to
ensure receptacles are for foodstuffs only

Number of
controls

Number
of non-
conformities

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

None

None

Verbal warning

Measures taken where non-conformities detected

Written
warning

Improved
in-house
controls
required

Sale prohibited

Administrative
penalty

Court action

Other

.

.

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0
0
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3.

Nutritional labelling claims

3a.

Fruit and vegetable juices

Member State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Claims on the label

in relation to:

Number of products sampled
and analysed

Number of non-conforming products

Unauthorised claims

Wording on the nutritional

label not in

conformity

Non-correlation between the values
declared and the values as analysed above
the tolerance

Energy value

Proteins and their components

Carbohydrates and their components

Fats and their components

Vitamins and minerals

Action taken in the case of non-conformity

None

Verbal warning

Written warning

Written instructions

Sale prohibited

Administrative penalties

Court action

Other

L

6
3
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4
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E
N

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1
0
3
2
0
0
0

3.

Nutritional labelling claims

3b.

Fruit-flavoured milk drinks and yoghurts

Member State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Claims on the label

in relation to:

Number of products sampled
and analysed

Number of non-conforming products

Unauthorised claims

Wording on the nutritional

label not in

conformity

Non-correlation between the values
declared and the values
as analysed above the tolerance

Energy value

Proteins and their components

Carbohydrates and their components

Fats and their components

Vitamins and minerals

Action taken in the case of non-conformity

None

Verbal warning

Written warning

Written instructions

Sale prohibited

Administrative penalties

Court action

Other

.

.

1
0
3
2
0
0
0

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N

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