Commission Directive 98/60/EC of 24 July 1998 amending Council Directive 74/63/EEC on the fixing of maximum permitted levels for undesirable substances and products in feedingstuffs (Text with EEA relevance)

COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 98/60/EC of 24 July 1998 amending Council Directive 74/63/EEC on the fixing of maximum permitted levels for undesirable substances and products in feedingstuffs (Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 74/63/EEC of 17 December 1973 on undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition (1), as last amended by Commission Directive 97/8/EC (2), and in particular Article 6 thereof,
Whereas citrus pulp pellets originating in or consigned from Brazil were found to be contaminated by dioxins at such high levels which pose a risk to human health; whereas citrus pulp pellets are used as feed material; whereas feedingstuffs contaminated by dioxins results in dioxin contamination of food products of animal origin; whereas dioxins are classified by the relevant international organisations as carcinogenic to humans; whereas it is recommended by these relevant international organisations to take measures to reduce the intake of dioxin through diet as much as is reasonably achievable; it is, therefore, appropriate to prohibit the use of citrus pulp pellets contaminated by dioxins at unacceptable levels as feedingstuff and for the production of compound feedingstuff;
Whereas all sources of contamination by dioxins at such unacceptable levels has not been possible to be determined with sufficient certainty within the short time limits available; whereas, therefore, no sufficient guarantees exist for the moment that the possible sources of contamination have been removed from the production process of citrus pulp pellets; whereas a more complete scientific assessment of the tolerable maximum level for dioxins cannot be performed within short notice; it is therefore urgent to fix provisionally the maximum limit at the detection level (500 pg I - TEQ/kg) whilst awaiting the scientific assessment of the risk involved;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for Feedingstuffs,