20.4.2004 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 113/19
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2004/45/EC
of 16 April 2004
amending Directive 96/77/EC laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 89/107/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning food additives authorised for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption (1), and in particular Article 3(3)(a) thereof,
After consulting the Scientific Committee on Food,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Directive 96/77/EC (2) of 2 December 1996 laying down specific purity criteria on food additives other than colours and sweeteners sets out the purity criteria for the additives mentioned in Directive 95/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 1995 on food additives other than colours and sweeteners (3).
(2) The Scientific Committee on Food concluded in its opinion of 5 March 2003 that the presence of low molecular weight carrageenan should be kept to a minimum. Consequently, the relevant criterion of the existing purity criteria for E 407 Carrageenan and E 407a (Processed Eucheuma Seaweed) set out in Directive 96/77/EC needs to be adapted.
(3) It is necessary to adopt specifications for the new additives authorised through Directive 2003/114/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2003 amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners: E 907 Hydrogenated poly-1-decene, E 1517 Glyceryl diacetate and E 1519 Benzyl alcohol.
(4) It is necessary to take into account the specifications and analytical techniques for additives as set out in the Codex Alimentarius as drafted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
(5) Directive 96/77/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
The Annex to Directive 96/77/EC is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive.
1.   Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 1 April 2005 at the latest. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions and a correlation table between those provisions and this Directive.
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.
2.   Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Products put on the market or labelled before 1 April 2005 which do not comply with this Directive may be marketed until stocks are exhausted.
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.