CELEX: 51980PC0418
Language: en
Date: 1980-07-22
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE amending for the third 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 (submitted to the Council by the commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (80) 418
Vol. 1980/0148
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                             COM(80)418 final
                                             Brussels . 22 July 1980
                          Proposal for a
                        COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
        amending for the third 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
            ( submitted to the, •Council by the commission )
                             /Ç\>                 x:>\
                             V v             *s
                                  V           j>
                                                    XC •
                                        y"
                                           ■sv ..<?
                                           V> 'S?
                                                     ■
                                        rv
  C0MC80 ) 418 final
 ---pagebreak---                                  EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Counoil 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"'" as last modified "by Directive
           Λ
78/143/EEC requires that the Council decide "before 31 December 1980
on the future use of calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetra~aceta.te and
ethoxyquin. Member States "may until 31 December 1980 maintain" their
use in foodstuffs . Aacorbyl diacetate (E 303 ) is authorized at
Community level without restriction "but its use in food has now ceased.
The present proposal relates to action to "be taken on these three substances
Calcium disodium eth.ylene diamine t et ra-ac etate
On the "basis of the opinion of the Scientific Committee for Food    the
Commission proposed on 21 November 1977 that this substance be added to
Part III of the Annex to the Directive 70/357/EEC^ ( i.e. substances
 capable of increasing the antioxidant effect of other substances ).
This proposal was not accepted by the Council which , in common with the
Economio and Social Committee believed that further information should
be supplied .   In order to comply with these requests , and to remain    :■
within the terms of approval advised by the Scientific Committee for Pood ,
the present proposal lists foodstuffs of "low consumption" in which the
 substance is used and the levels of residues to be found therein.     It
 seems unlikely that these foodstuffs would be manufactured with the
 intention that they would be consumed by infants ( less than 2 years old)
but nevertheless the proposal expressly prohibits this practice .
 Ethoxvtmin
Ethoxyquin is considered by some Member States to be a pesticide ; others
 do not permit its use on their territories either as pesticide or as
 food antioxidant ( although it is permitted as antioxidant in animal
 feedingstuffs by Community legislation). Its use in food is allowed
 expressly in the Antioxidants Directive for use on apples and pears for
 10J L 157 of 18,7.1970 , p. 31
 20J L 44 of 15.2a978 , p. 18
 "^Reports of the Scientific Committee for Pood, Qth, Series , 1977
 40J C 300 of 13.12.1977 . P« 5
 ---pagebreak---                                         - 2 -
  "the treatment of " scald" an affliction not apparent every year and in any
  case usually only associated with certain varieties of fruit .   There seems
 to "be a consensus that the protective capacity of ethoxyquin in the
 treatment of scald is not strictly anti oxidative but is related to its
 ability to retard the physiological deterioration of the fruit .
 {The proposal is "being made to rectify the anomaly that this specific food
use is included unnecessarily in the antioxidants directive .
The Commission intends to propose specific measures on additives used for
the surface treatment of fruit where this use is not more properly covered
"by rules on pesticides .    At that time it is envisaged that the use of
 ethoxyquin at Community level will "be studied .   Particular attention
will be paid to the response by interested parties to the Scientific
Committee for Pood 's request for additional studies relating to the
technology and toxioology of the use of ethoxyquin.
Ascorbyl diacetate
The substance is no longer used in food and is consequently proposed for
deletion from the permitted list of antioxidants .
 ---pagebreak---  Proposal for a Council Directive amending for *the third "time Directive
70/357/EEC 011 "the approximation of "the laws of "the Member States concerning
the antioxidants authorized for use in foodstuffs intended for human
 consumption
THE COUNCIL OP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
t
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community .
  *
 and in particular Article 100 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission"'' ,
                                                           2
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economio and Social Committee^,
Whereas Article 2 of Directive 70 / 357 / EEC , as Last
amended by Directive 78/143/eEC'*, permits Member States to maintain the
provisions of their national laws authorizing the use in foodstuffs of
 calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetrad-acetate and of ethoxyquin for
the treatment of apples and pears ;
Whereas the technological usefulness of calcium disodium ethylene diamine
tetra-aoetate as a substance capable of increasing the antioxidant effect
 of other substances has been demonstrated within the Community in
 certain foodstuffs consumed in small quantities :
1
 2
 3
 40J No L 157 » 18.7.1970 , p. 31
  50J No L 44, 5*2.1978 , P. 18
 ---pagebreak---  Whereas , according to toxicological information , this use presents no
 hazard to public health provided that calcium disodium ethylene diamine
 tetrad-acetate is not used in foods intended for the particular nutritional
 use of infants or young children within the meaning of Article 1 of
 Council Directive 77/94/EEC of 21 December 1976 on the approximation of
 the laws of the Member States relating to foodstuffs for particular
•nutritional uses^;
 Whereas it is not yet possible to take a final, decision on whether or not
the use of ethoxyquin should be allowed for the treatment of apples and
 pears in the Community ; whereas , however , such treatment cannot in any
 case be regarded as having an antioxidant effect ;
Whereas the situation has to be reviewed at Community level in the light
 of further scientific and in particular toxicologioal information ;
Whereas E 303 ( ascorbyl diacetate ) is no longer used in foodstuffs ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE :
                                    Article 1
Directive 70/357/EEC 7is hereby amended as follows :
1 . Article 2 is deleted .
2 . Article 9 is replaced by the following :
                                   "Article 9
1 . Member States shall authorize the use of the substances listed in
    Parts I to III of the Annex under the conditions set out therein.
2 . For substances for which conditions of use are not laid down in the
    Annex , such conditions may be determined by national laws ; however ,
    such laws must not have the effect of totally excluding the use in
    foodstuffs of any of the substances concerned ."
60J No L 26 . 31.1.1977 » P. 55
 ---pagebreak---                                        3
3 . The substance E 303 " 5i 6–diacetyl-i–ascorbic acid ( ascor"byl diacetate )"
    is deleted from Part I of the Annex .
4. There is added to the Annex a third column entitled 'Conditions for
    Use' .
5 . The following is added to Part III of the Annex :
 EEC No .           Name                              Conditions of Use
                                                  ,
 E 342       Cai cium disodium  Solely in the foodstuffs listed "below which
             ethylene diamine   are not intended for the particular nutri­
             tetrar-acetate     tional use of infants or young children
                                within the meaning of Article 1 of
                                Directive 77/94/EEC , and provided that the
                                residues do not exceed the limits specified :
                                – condiment sauces                   75 mg/kg
                                – glace cherries                    100 mg/kg
                                – preserved crah                    275 mg/kg
                                – preserved  shrimps                250 mg/kg
                                – preserved mushrooms               200 mg/kg
                                – pickles                           220 mg/kg
           1                        Article 2
Member States shall Taring into force the laws , regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive not
later than twelve months after its notification.      They shall forthwith
inform the Commission thereof .
 ---pagebreak---                                  Article 3
This Directive is addressed to the Member States .
Dpne at                                        For the Council
                                               The President