EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEALTH & CONSUMERS DIRECTORATE-GENERAL SANCO G D(2011) 942323 SUMMARY RECORD OF THE MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FOOD CHAIN AND ANIMAL HEALTH HELD IN BRUSSELS ON 12 JULY 2011 (Section: Biological Safety of the Food Chain) Chair: K. Van Dyck Twenty five Member States were represented during the whole meeting. Portugal was absent and not represented. Cyprus was absent and not represented when voting on item 9. 1. Information and update on the recent outbreak of E. Coli O104 Germany gave a final presentation on the development of the situation. Detailed information was presented concerning the number of cases, results of sampling, tracing back in order to identify the source and tracing forward to target preventive measures. 2. Exchange of views and possible endorsement of a guidance text on viable parasites in fishery products. The draft guidance text was not discussed due to an amendment of document SANCO/11487/2010 (see item 5), which should be included in the revised guidance text. The item will be included on the agenda of a future meeting of the Committee. 3. Presentation and discussion on the outcome of the questionnaire on the review of meat inspection. Item removed from the Agenda. 4. Information received from Serbia on procedures and activities related to the presence of norovirus in frozen raspberries and blackberries. Serbia presented the outcome of investigations as a result of the finding of norovirus in several consignments of raspberries and blackberries exported to the EU. It also outlined some of these measures taken e.g. processors education, support of Member States in analyses and prevention measures. 1
5. Exchange of views and possible opinion of a draft Commission Regulation amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards requirements concerning parasites in fishery products for human consumption. (doc. SANCO/11487/2010) (subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny; legal basis: Article 10(1) of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004) (see point 6 of the SCoFCAH of 17 May 2011) The objective of the proposal is to update, based on recent scientific advice, the present requirements for food business operators to ensure that certain fishery products, including those to be consumed raw, undergo a freezing treatment to kill viable parasites that may represent a risk to the health of the consumer. The discussion focused mainly on the level of detail to be included in the proposal with regard to fishery products that have been preserved as frozen fishery products: a minor adjustment of the text was made as a result. Vote: Qualified majority in favour (304 votes in favour, 29 abstention, 12 votes absent and not represented). 6. Exchange of views and possible opinion on a draft Commission Regulation amending Chapter II of Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2075/2005 laying down specific rules on official controls for Trichinella in meat as regards a new method for Trichinella testing. (doc. SANCO/10951/2011) (subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny, legal basis: Article 18(9) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004)) (see point 9 of the SCoFCAH of 17 May 2011) The draft Regulation amends Regulation (EC) No 2075/2005 in order to include a new method for the testing of Trichinella in the list of methods equivalent to the reference method. The method has been validated by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites. The Member States were requested to deliver an opinion on the draft. Vote: Qualified majority in favour (333 votes in favour, 12 votes absent and not represented). 7. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Regulation amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the requirements concerning frozen food of animal origin intended for human consumption (doc. SANCO/1489/2007) (subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny; legal basis: Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Article 10(1) ) (See item 5 of the meeting of the SCFCAH on 14 April 2011) The purpose of the current draft Commission Regulation is to require food business operators to ensure that information on the date of production and freezing of frozen food of animal origin is available in an appropriate form to the food business operator to whom the food is supplied and, upon request, to the competent authority. Member States were requested to deliver an opinion on the draft. The Slovak representation made a declaration which is annexed below see Annex I. Vote: Qualified majority in favour (303 votes in favour, 30 abstentions, 12 votes absent and not represented). 2
8. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Implementing Regulation on the traceability requirements set by Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council for food of animal origin (doc. SANCO/1490/2007) (subject to the examination procedure; legal basis: Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, Article 18(5) (See item 6 of the meeting of the SCFCAH on 14 April 2011) The purpose of the current draft is to require food business operators to ensure that information about the consignment is available in an appropriate form to the food business operator to whom the food is supplied and, upon request, to the competent authority. Member States were requested to deliver an opinion on the draft. The Slovak representation made a declaration which is annexed below see Annex I. Vote: Qualified majority in favour (326 votes in favour, 7 abstentions, 12 votes absent and not represented). 9. Exchange of views and possible opinion of the Committee on a draft Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) n / of for the purposes of Council Decision 2009/470/EC as regards Union financial aid to the EU reference laboratories for feed and food and the animal health sector. (Legal base: Articles 31 (2) of Council Decision 2009/470/EC of 25 May 2009 on expenditure in the veterinary field) (Opinion of the Committee via the examination procedure) (Doc. SANCO/10536/2011) The financial assistance to the EU reference laboratories (EURLs) is provided in accordance with Article 31 of Council Decision 2009/470/EC on expenditure in the veterinary field. The eligibility criteria for the expenditure of the EURLs receiving financial assistance and the procedures for the submission of expenditure and the conduct of audits are set out in Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006. Following an internal audit of procedures, a simplification of the procedure implementing the partnership has been recommended. Since a number of changes are to be made, in the interests of clarity Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006 should be repealed and replaced by this Regulation. Therefore, the aim of this regulation is to adapt the procedure: no more framework partnership agreement, no more specific agreement, but only a financing decision. Nevertheless, it is necessary to maintain the definition of the respective roles and responsibilities of the Commission and EURLs. This Regulation shall apply to all EU reference laboratories whose framework partnership agreements come to an end in 2011 and in respect of EU reference laboratories whose framework partnership agreements are terminated by mutual agreement. For EU laboratories whose framework partnership agreements are not terminated, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1754/2006 remains applicable. The Commission representative presented the draft Implementing Regulation. It was recalled that the document had already been presented for information at the meeting of the Standing Committee, Animal Health section, which took place on 5 July. Vote: Qualified majority in favour (300 votes in favour, 29 votes against, 16 votes absent and not represented). 3
10. Exchange of views of the Committee on a draft Commission Regulation on the use of recycled water to reduce microbiological surface contamination of carcases (doc. SANCO/11145/2011) (subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny; legal basis: Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004) (see point 7 of the SCoFCAH of 17 May 2011) The Commission presented, for discussion, a draft Regulation for the approval of the use of recycled hot water to reduce microbiological surface contamination of carcases. An exchange of views took place and the Commission took note of the comments from the Member States. 4
Annex I Explanation of the position of the Slovak Republic to the documents SANCO /1489/2007 and SANCO 1490/2007 Slovakia expressed the same opinion to the both drafts at the SCOFCAH meeting held in April 2011 (technical vote) Commission Regulation amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the requirements concerning frozen food of animal origin intended for human consumption (doc. SANCO/1489/2007 rev.17) Slovakia has reservations to this document, mainly to the formulation, that required information must be «in the appropriate form» (which can be also in the oral form). Also Slovakia required to use the requirements which were laid down in the previous legislation (Directive 64/433/EEC and 71/118 EEC) where it was laid down, that the month and year of freezing of meat must be on the product and that the commercial document with these data has to accompany the consignment. Only these requirements can solve the difficulties with frozen food not only of animal origin, because information of food will be transparent and can help the competent authorities in the performance of the official controls. Commission Implementing Regulation on the traceability requirements set by Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council for food of animal origin (doc. SANCO/1490/2007 rev. 16) Slovakia considers that it is necessary to solve the problems with traceability in a complex way within the regulation (EC) 178/2002. In order to guarantee the transparency of traceability it is necessary that the commercial documents have to accompany the consignments, and it is not sufficient that the commercial documents follow the consignment, as it is written in the guidance document. Slovakia expressed also the reservation to the formulation that required information must be «in the appropriate form». This form is not sufficient to guarantee full traceability. 5