Official controls: rules on the temporary increase of official controls figs from Turkey, groundnuts from Argentina and Brazil

The Commission published an implementing regulation (EU) 2023/174 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/625 and (EC) No 178/2002.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 lays down rules on the temporary increase of official controls at the entry into the Union on certain food and feed of non-animal origin from certain third countries listed in Annex I to that Implementing Regulation, and on the imposition of special conditions governing the entry into the Union of certain consignments of food and feed from certain third countries due to the risk of contamination by mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, pesticide residues, pentachlorophenol and dioxins, and microbiological contamination, listed in Annex II to that Implementing Regulation.

Recent notifications received through the RASFF indicate the existence of a serious direct or indirect risk to human health deriving from some food or feed. Additionally, official controls performed by the Member States on some food and feed of non-animal origin in the first semester of 2022 indicate that the lists set out in Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 should be amended in order to protect human health in the Union.

Modification of measures/new measures:

·Delisting from Annex I (and thus, from the Regulation) of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Argentina and Brazil (aflatoxins), groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Madagascar, watermelon (Egusi, Citrullus spp.) seeds and derived products from Sierra Leone

·Removal from Annex I and inclusion in Annex II of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Bolivia, Sesamum seeds from Nigeria

·Increase in the frequency of identity and physical checks laid down in Annex I for groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Brazil (pesticide residues – 30%) and grapefruits from Türkiye (30%) and cumin seeds from Türkiye (20%)

·Removal from Annex II and inclusion in Annex I of Brazil nuts in shell and mixtures of Brazil nuts or dried fruits containing Brazil nuts in shell from Brazil , cust beans (carob), mucilages and thickeners, whether or not modified, derived from locust beans seeds from Malaysia, watermelon (Egusi, Citrullus spp.) seeds and derived products from Nigeria

·Increase in the frequency of identity and physical checks laid down in Annex II for dried figs and products derived from dried figs from Türkiye (30%);

Consignments of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Bolivia, Sesamum seeds from Nigeria, which have been dispatched from the country of origin, or from another third country if that country is different from the country of origin, before the date of entry into force of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/174, may enter the Union until 16 October 2023 without being accompanied by the results of sampling and analyses and the official certificate provided for in Articles 10 and 11.

More information: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2023.025.01.0036.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A025%3ATOC

Contact: ksaari@frucom.eu