2008/162/EC: Commission Decision of 26 February 2008 amending Decision 2006/601/EC on emergency measures regarding the non-authorised genetically modified organism LL RICE 601 in rice products (notified under document number C(2008) 743) (Text with EEA relevance)

27.2.2008 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 52/25
COMMISSION DECISION
of 26 February 2008
amending Decision 2006/601/EC on emergency measures regarding the non-authorised genetically modified organism ‘LL RICE 601’ in rice products
(notified under document number C(2008) 743)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2008/162/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (1), and in particular Article 53(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 4(2) and Article 16(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed (2) provide that no genetically modified food or feed is to be placed on the Community market unless it is covered by an authorisation granted in accordance with that Regulation. Article 4(3) and Article 16(3) of the same Regulation lay down that no genetically modified food and feed may be authorised unless it has been adequately and sufficiently demonstrated that it does not have adverse effects on human health, animal health or the environment, that it does not mislead the consumer or the user, and that it does not differ from the food or feed it is intended to replace to such an extent that its normal consumption would be nutritionally disadvantageous for humans or animals.
(2) Article 53(1) of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 provides for the possibility to adopt appropriate Community emergency measures for food and feed imported from a third country in order to protect human health, animal health or the environment, where the risk cannot be contained satisfactorily by means of measures taken by the Member States concerned.
(3) In view of the presumption of risk on products not authorised according to Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, Commission Decision 2006/601/EC of 5 September 2006 on emergency measures regarding the non-authorised genetically modified organism ‘LL RICE 601’ in rice products (3) required Member States not to allow the placing on the market of certain rice products originating from the United States unless the consignment is accompanied by an original analytical report issued by an accredited laboratory attesting that the product does not contain genetically modified rice ‘LL RICE 601’ and to carry out systematic official sampling and analysis of each consignment of specific products originating from the United States before their placing on the market.
(4) On 5 October 2007, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the results of its investigation on, in particular, the presence of ‘LL RICE 601’ in US commercial rice. While the exact mechanisms of the contamination could not be established, the findings indicate that the source of the contamination by ‘LL RICE 601’ was limited.
(5) The US Rice federation has adopted a plan aiming to remove ‘LL RICE 601’ from the US export channels. This plan includes testing of the seeds before planting, as well as documentary and analytical controls at the delivery points of the 2007 harvest. Only some aspects of this plan are subject to regulatory requirements in some US States. It is therefore necessary to ensure that all the consignments of rice originating from the United States of America imported in the European Union were subject to this plan.
(6) On 9 November 2007, USDA submitted a proposal of protocol to the Commission that would ensure that the products falling under the scope of Decision 2006/601/EC are subject to official sampling by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) and analysed using the ‘P35S:BAR’ method referred to in Decision 2006/601/EC in a laboratory participating successfully in the dedicated proficiency program administered by GIPSA. In accordance with that protocol, the consignments of those products would be accompanied by the original of an analytical report and by a letterhead issued by GIPSA indicating that ‘LL RICE 601’ was not detected.
(7) The official involvement of the GIPSA, as described in the proposal of protocol, provides appropriate reassurances as to the quality of the controls made. As a consequence, mandatory official sampling and analysis by Member States at the point of entry into the Community is no more considered necessary.
(8) Those measures should be reviewed within six months in order to assess whether they are still necessary, in the light of their impact and of the practical experience gained on the existing testing requirements.
(9) Decision 2006/601/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(10) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,