2002/80/EC: Commission Decision of 4 February 2002 imposing special conditions on the import of figs, hazelnuts and pistachios and certain products derived thereof originating in or consigned from Turkey (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2002) 386)
Date: 2002-02-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Türkiye, health certificate, import, nut, originating product, pip fruit

L 34/26

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Official Journal of the European Communities

5.2.2002

COMMISSION DECISION

of 4 February 2002

imposing special conditions on the import of figs, hazelnuts and pistachios and certain products
derived thereof originating in or consigned from Turkey

(notified under document number C(2002) 386)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2002/80/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993
on the hygiene of foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 10(1)
thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Dried figs and pistachios and to a lesser extent hazelnuts
originating in or consigned from Turkey have been
found to be, in many cases, contaminated with excessive
levels of aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin.

The Scientific Committee for Food has noted that afla-
toxin B1, even at extremely low levels, causes cancer of
the liver and in addition is genotoxic.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 194/97 of 31 January
1997 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants
in foodstuffs (2), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No
1566/1999 (3), sets maximum levels for certain contam-
inants and in particular aflatoxins in foodstuffs. These
limits have been considerably exceeded in particular in
samples of dried figs originating in or consigned from
Turkey.

This constitutes a serious threat to public health within
the Community and it is therefore imperative to adopt
protective measures at Community level.

A mission has been carried out by the European
Commission's Food and Veterinary office (FVO)
in
Turkey from 4 to 8 September 2000 to assess the
control systems in place to prevent aflatoxin contamina-
tion in hazelnuts, pistachios and dried figs intended for
export
to the European Community. The mission
revealed, inter alia, that the control procedures in place
for hazelnut, pistachio and dried fig consignments
intended for export into the European Community do
the consignments comply with the
not ensure that
maximum levels established in EC legislation. Insufficient
training of responsible officials,
insufficient sampling
and testing procedures and insufficient evidence that the
export certificates correlate to the concerned consign-
ment have been observed. For these commodities origin-
ating in or consigned from Turkey, non-compliance

(1) OJ L 175, 19.7.1993, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 31, 1.2.1997, p. 48.
(3) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 17.

with the maximum levels for aflatoxins are continuously
observed and reported through the Rapid Alert System
for Food. It is therefore appropriate to subject hazelnuts,
pistachios and dried figs and products derived thereof
originating in or consigned from Turkey to special
conditions to provide a high level of protection to public
health.

It is necessary that dried figs, hazelnuts and pistachios
and products derived thereof have been produced,
sorted, handled, processed, packaged and transported
following good hygiene practices.
is necessary to
establish the levels of aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin in
samples taken from the consignment immediately prior
to leaving Turkey.

It

The Turkish authorities should provide documentary
evidence to accompany each consignment of dried figs,
hazelnuts and pistachios originating in or consigned
from Turkey, relating to the conditions of production,
sorting, handling, processing, packaging and transport,
as well as the results of
the
consignment for levels of aflatoxin B1 and total afla-
toxin.

laboratory analysis of

It is necessary in order to safeguard public health that
consignments of dried figs, hazelnuts and pistachios
originating in or consigned from Turkey, imported into
the European Community, are subjected to random
sampling and analysis for their aflatoxin level by the
competent authority of the importing Member State.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

The Standing Committee for Foodstuffs has been
consulted on 2 April 2001,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. Member States may not import products falling in any of
the following categories, originating in or consigned from
Turkey, which are intended for human consumption or to be
used as an ingredient in foodstuffs, unless the consignment is
accompanied by the results of official sampling and analysis,
and by the health certificate in Annex I completed, signed and
verified by a representative of
the General Directorate of
Protection and Control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs of the Republic of Turkey:

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— figs and dried figs falling within CN code 0804 20 10 or

0804 20 90,

and total aflatoxin and shall inform the Commission of the
results.

— hazelnuts (Corylus sp) in shell or shelled falling within CN

code 0802 21 00 or 0802 22 00,

— pistachios falling within CN code 0802 50 00,
— mixtures of nuts or dried fruits falling within CN code
0813 50 and containing figs, hazelnuts or pistachios,

— hazelnuts,

figs and pistachios, prepared or preserved,

including mixtures falling within CN code 2008 19.

Consignments may

the
only
2.
Community through one of the points of entry listed in Annex
II.

imported

into

be

3.
Each consignment shall be identified with a code, which
corresponds to the code on the health certificate and on the
accompanying report containing the result of
the official
sampling and analysis referred to in paragraph 1.

4.
The competent authorities in each Member State shall
ensure that imported dried figs, hazelnuts and pistachios, as
mentioned in paragraph 1, originating in or consigned from
Turkey are subject to documentary checks to ensure that the
requirement
for the health certificate and sampling results
referred to in paragraph 1 are complied with.

5. Member States shall undertake at random sampling and
analysis of the consignments of dried figs, hazelnuts and pista-
chios originating in or consigned from Turkey for aflatoxin B1

Article 2

This Decision shall be reviewed before 1 July 2002, in order to
assess whether the special conditions, referred to in Article 1,
provide a sufficient level of protection of public health within
the Community. The review shall also assess whether there is a
continuing need for the special conditions.

Article 3

Member States shall take the measures necessary to comply
with this Decision. They shall inform the Commission thereof.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 4 February 2002.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX I

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ANNEX II

List of points of entry through which figs, hazelnuts and pistachios and products derived thereof originating in
or consigned from Turkey may be imported into the European Community

Member State

Point of entry

Belgique-België

Anvers-Antwerpen

Danmark

All harbours, airports and border stations

Deutschland

Ελλάς

España

France

Ireland

Italia

HZA Lörrach-ZA Weil am Rhein-Autobahn, HZA Stuttgart-ZA Flughafen, HZA München-
Flughafen, HZA Hof-ZA Schirnding, HZA Weiden-ZA Furth im Wald-Schafberg, HZA
Weiden-ZA Waidhaus-Autobahn, Bezirksamt Reinickendorf von Berlin, Abteilung
Finanzen, Wirtschaft und Kultur, Veterinär- und Lebensmittelaufsichtsamt, Grenzkontroll-
stelle, HZA Frankfurt
(Oder)-ZA Autobahn, HZA Cottbus-ZA Forst-Autobahn, HZA
Bremen-ZA Neustädter Hafen, HZA Bremerhafen-ZA Container Terminal, HZA Bremer-
haven-ZA Rotersand, HZA Hamburg-Freihafen-Abfertigungsstelle, HZA Hamburg-Frei-
hafen-ZA Ericus-Abfertigungsstelle Südbahnhof, HZA Hamburg-Freihafen-ZA Köhlfleet-
damm, HZA Hamburg-St/Annen-ZA Altona, HZA Hamburg-Waltershof-Abfertigungs-
stelle, HZA Hamburg-Waltershof-ZA Flughafen, HZA Frankfurt-am-Main-Flughafen, HZA
Braunschweig-Abfertigungsstelle, HZA Hannover-Abfertigungsstelle, HZA Lüneburg-ZA
Stade,
Veterinäramt,
Grenzkontrollstelle Dresden-Friedrichstadt
(für Bahntransport), Landratsamt Weisseritz-
kreis, Lebensmittelsüberwachungs- und Veterinäramt, Grenzkontrollstelle (für Straßentran-
sport), Landratsamt Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis, Lebensmittelüberwachungs- und
Veterinäramt, Grenzkontrollstelle Ludwigsdorf
(für Straßentransport), HZA Itzehoe-ZA
Pinneberg, HZA Trier-ZA Idar-Oberstein, HZA Oldenburg-ZA Wilhelmshaven

Stadtverwaltung Dresden,

Lebensmittelüberwachungs-

und

Athina, Pireas, Elefsis, Aerodromio ton Athinon, Thessaloniki, Volos, Patra, Iraklion tis
Kritis, Aerodromio tis Kritis, Euzoni, Idomeni, Ormenio, Kipi, Kakavia, Niki, Promahonas,
Pithio, Igoumenitsa, Kristalopigi

Algeciras (puerto), Alicante (aeropuerto, puerto), Almería (aeropuerto y puerto), Barcelona
(aeropuerto, puerto), Bilbao (aeropuerto, puerto), Cádiz (puerto), Cartagena (puerto), Gijón
(puerto), Huelva (puerto), A Coruña-Santiago de Compostela (aeropuerto, puerto), Las
Palmas de Gran Canaria (aeropuerto, puerto), Madrid-Barajas (aeropuerto), Málaga (aero-
puerto, puerto), Palma de Mallorca (aeropuerto), Pasajes-Irún (aeropuerto, puerto), Santa
Cruz de Tenerife (aeropuerto, puerto), Santander (aeropuerto), Sevilla (aeropuerto, puerto),
Tarragona (puerto), Valencia (aeropuerto, puerto), Vigo-Villagarcía (aeropuerto), Marín
(puerto), Vitoria (aeropuerto), Zaragoza (aeropuerto)

Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône)
Le Havre (Seine-Maritime)

All harbours, airports and border stations

Ufficio Sanità Marittima ed Aerea di Ancona
Ufficio Sanità Marittima ed Aerea di Bari
Ufficio Sanità Marittima ed Aerea di Genova
Ufficio Sanità Marittima di Livorno
Ufficio Sanità Marittima ed Aerea di Napoli
Ufficio Sanità Marittima di Ravenna
Ufficio Sanità Marittima di Salerno
Ufficio Sanità Marittima ed Aerea di Trieste
Dogana di Fernetti-Interporto Monrupino (Trieste)

Luxembourg

Centre douanier, Croix de Gasperich, Luxembourg

Nederland

Österreich

Portugal

Rotterdam

HZA Graz, Nickelsdorf, Spielfeld, HZA Wien

Lisboa

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Member State

Point of entry

Suomi—Finland

Sverige

United Kingdom

Helsinki

Göteborg

Belfast, Channel Tunnel Terminal, Dover, Felixstowe, Gatwick Airport, Goole Grange-
mouth, Harwich, Heathrow Airport, Heysham, Hull, Immingham, Ipswich, King's Lynn,
Leith, Liverpool, London (including Tilbury, Thamesport and Sheerness), Manchester
Airport, Manchester Container Port, Manchester (including Ellesmere Port), Medway,
Middlesborough, Newhaven, Poole, Shoreham, Southampton, Stansted Airport.