The Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Scottish Statutory Instruments

2003 No. 418

FOOD

The Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2003

Made

8th September 2003

Laid before the Scottish Parliament

9th September 2003

Coming into force

30th September 2003

The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(1) and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 30th September 2003.

(2) These Regulations extend to Scotland only.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations–

“the Act” means the Food Safety Act 1990(2) and, subject to paragraph (2), any expression used both in these Regulations and in the Act has the meaning it bears in the Act;

“the Commission Decision” means Commission Decision 2000/49/EC(3) repealing Decision 1999/356/EC(4) and imposing special conditions on the import of peanuts and certain products derived from peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt as amended by Commission Decision 2003/580/EC(5);

“the Commission Regulation” means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 466/2001(6) setting maximum levels for contaminants in foodstuffs, as corrected by a corrigendum published on 30th November 2001(7) and as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No. 2375/2001(8), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 221/2002(9), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 257/2002(10), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 472/2002(11) as corrected by a corrigendum published on 23rd March 2002(12) and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 563/2002(13) as corrected by a corrigendum published on 14th June 2002(14);

“Directive 98/53/EC” means Commission Directive 98/53/EC laying down the sampling methods and the methods of analysis for the official control of the levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs(15) as amended by Commission Directive 2002/27/EC(16);

“Egyptian peanuts” means–

(a)

peanuts falling within CN code 1202 10 90 in shell or within CN code 1202 20 00 shelled, whether or not broken; and

(b)

roasted peanuts falling with CN code 2008 11 92 (in immediate packs of a net content exceeding 1 kg) or within CN code 2008 11 96 (in immediate packs of a net content not exceeding 1 kg),

originating in, or consigned from Egypt which are intended for human consumption or to be used as an ingredient in foodstuffs; and

“free circulation” has the same meaning as in Article 23.2 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

(2) Any term used in the definition of “Egyptian peanuts” in paragraph (1) has the same meaning as in the Commission Decision.

Prohibition on import

3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), no person shall import into Scotland any Egyptian peanuts unless–

(a) the conditions specified in Article 1.1, 1.3 and 1.7 of the Commission Decision are satisfied in relation to those Egyptian peanuts; and

(b) where those Egyptian peanuts are subjected to sampling and analysis by the food authority under regulation 4(3)(b) they are found not to contain higher levels of aflatoxin than those specified for such peanuts in Annex I of the Commission Regulation.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), no person shall import into Scotland any Egyptian peanuts, except through a point of entry listed in Annex II to the Commission Decision.

(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not be taken to prohibit the bringing into Scotland–

(i) from another member State of the European Community of any Egyptian peanuts which are in free circulation in that member State; or

(ii) from England, Wales or Northern Ireland of any Egyptian peanuts which have been imported into the United Kingdom in accordance with the Commission Decision.

(4) Any person who knowingly contravenes paragraphs (1)(a) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

Enforcement

4.—(1) It shall be the duty of each food authority to execute and enforce these Regulations within its area.

(2) For the purposes of the exercise of the duty referred to in paragraph (1) an authorised officer of the food authority shall–

(a) ensure that the requirements referred to in paragraph (3) are adhered to; and

(b) have the same powers of entry as an authorised officer of an enforcement authority under section 32 of the Act for purposes connected with the Act or Regulations or Orders made under the Act.

(3) The requirements are those specified in–

(a) Article 1.4 of the Commission Decision (which is concerned with documentary checks relating to consignments of Egyptian peanuts);

(b) Articles 1.5 and 1.6 of the Commission Decision (which provisions are concerned with the sampling and analysis of such consignments), other than the requirement under Article 1.5 to supply the Commission with specified information; and

(c) Article 1.7 of the Commission Decision (which is concerned with the case where consignments are split).

(4) Each food authority shall give such assistance and information to the Food Standards Agency as it may reasonably request in connection with the execution and enforcement of these Regulations.

Application of various provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 and sampling and analysis

5.—(1) The following provisions of the Act shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations with the modification that any reference in those provisions to the Act or Part thereof shall be construed as a reference to these Regulations:–

(a) section 20 (offences due to fault of another person);

(b) section 33 (obstruction etc. of officers);

(c) section 35(1) to (3) (punishment of offences), in so far as it relates to offences under section 33(1) and (2) has applied by sub-paragraph (b);

(d) section 36 (offences by bodies corporate);

(e) section 36A (offences by Scottish partnerships); and

(f) section 44 (protection of officers acting in good faith).

(2) Section 29 of the Act (procurement of samples) shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations with the modifications that–

(a) for “an enforcement authority” there shall be substituted “a food authority”;

(b) for subsection (b)(ii) there shall be substituted the following:–

“(ii) is found by the authorised officer at any premises which the officer is authorised to enter by virtue of regulation 4(2)(b) of the Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2003”;

(c) the power to take samples under subsections (b) and (d) shall be limited to the taking of samples in accordance with the methods of taking samples described or referred to in Annex I to Directive 98/53/EC;

(d) subsection (c) shall be omitted; and

(e) for “any of the provisions of this Act or of regulations or orders made under it” in subsection (d) there shall be substituted “the Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Regulations 2003”.

(3) Where, pursuant to section 29(b) of the Act as applied for the purposes of these Regulations by paragraph (2), an authorised officer has taken a sample of any Egyptian peanuts, the officer shall ensure that–

(a) the sample is prepared in accordance with–

(i) paragraphs 1.1, 2 and 3 of Annex II to Directive 98/53/EC; and

(ii) in the case of whole nuts, paragraph 1.2 of that Annex;

(b) an analysis of the sample is carried out by a laboratory which complies with Council Directive 93/99/EEC on the subject of additional measures concerning the official control of foodstuffs(17);

(c) that analysis of the sample is carried out as soon as practicable by a suitably qualified analyst in accordance with methods of analysis which–

(i) so far as practicable, comply with paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Annex to Council Directive 85/591/EEC concerning the introduction of Community methods of sampling and analysis for the monitoring of foodstuffs intended for human consumption(18); and

(ii) meet the criteria specified in paragraph 4.3 of Annex II to Directive 98/53/EC as read with the notes thereto; and

(d) the reporting of the result of that analysis of the sample–

(i) makes use of the definitions in paragraph 4.1 of Annex II to Directive 98/53/EC; and

(ii) is in accordance with paragraph 4.4 of that Annex.

(4) Before an analyst agrees to analyse a sample in accordance with paragraph (3)(c) the analyst may demand the payment in advance of such reasonable fee as the analyst may require.

(5) An analyst who has analysed a sample in accordance with paragraph (3)(c) shall give to the person by whom it was submitted a certificate which shall both specify the result of the analysis and be signed by the analyst.

(6) In any proceedings under these Regulations, the production by one of the parties of–

(a) a document purporting to be a certificate given by an analyst under paragraph (5); or

(b) a document supplied to that party by the other party as being a copy of such a certificate,

shall be sufficient evidence of the facts stated in it unless, in a case falling within sub-paragraph (a), the other party requires that the analyst shall be called as a witness.

(7) Where a sample procured under section 29 of the Act as applied for the purposes of these Regulations by paragraph (2) has been analysed in accordance with paragraph (3)(b) and (c), the owner shall be entitled on request to be supplied with a copy of the certificate of analysis by the food authority.

(8) Nothing in paragraph (3)(c) shall be taken as preventing an analysis being made by a person acting under the analyst’s direction.

Re-dispatch or destruction of illegal imports

6.—(1) If on an inspection or examination of any Egyptian peanuts it appears to an authorised officer of a food authority that they have been imported in contravention of regulation 3(1) or (2) the authorised officer may after appropriate consultation with a person appearing to be the importer serve on that person a notice ordering–

(a) the re-dispatch of the Egyptian peanuts outside the European Community within such reasonable period as shall be specified in the notice; or

(b) (where such re-dispatch would in the opinion of the authorised officer involve serious risks to human health or where the period specified in a notice issued under this paragraph for the re-dispatch of Egyptian peanuts has elapsed and the Egyptian peanuts have not been re-dispatched) the destruction of the Egyptian peanuts within such reasonable period as shall be specified in the notice.

(2) Any notice served under paragraph (1) shall state–

(a) the right of appeal to the sheriff under paragraph (4); and

(b) the period within which such an appeal may be brought.

(3) The person on whom a notice has been served under paragraph (1) shall ensure that the Egyptian peanuts to which the notice applies are stored until re-dispatch or destruction under the supervision of the authorised officer at such places and under such conditions as the authorised officer may in the notice direct.

(4) Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of an authorised officer to serve a notice under paragraph (1) may appeal to the sheriff, who may confirm or cancel the notice.

(5) The period within which such an appeal as is mentioned in paragraph (4) may be brought shall be 6 days from the date on which the notice was served exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

(6) Pending determination of an appeal under paragraph (4), paragraph (3) shall apply to the storage of the Egyptian peanuts concerned.

(7) If the sheriff allows an appeal brought under paragraph (4) the food authority concerned shall compensate the owner of the Egyptian peanuts concerned for any depreciation in their value resulting from the action taken by the authorised officer.

(8) Any disputed question as to the right to or the amount of any compensation payable under paragraph (7) shall be determined by a single arbiter appointed, failing agreement between the parties, by the sheriff.

(9) Any person who breaches the terms of a notice served under paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

(10) The costs of re-dispatch, storage and destruction of Egyptian peanuts under this regulation shall be borne by the importer.

Revocation of the Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Order 2000

7.  The Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Order 2000(19) is revoked.

TOM McCABE

Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers

St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh

8th September 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which extend only to Scotland, revoke and re-enact with changes the Food (Peanuts from Egypt) (Emergency Control) (Scotland) Order 2000 (S.S.I 2000/35). The revocation is effected by regulation 7.

The Regulations implement Commission Decision 2000/49/EC repealing Decision 1999/356/EC and imposing special conditions on the import of peanuts and certain products derived from peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt (O.J. No. L 19, 25.1.2000, p.46) as amended by Commission Decision 2003/580/EC (O.J. No. L 197, 5.8.2003, p.31).

The categories of products which are subject to those conditions are specified in Article 1.1 of Commission Decision 2000/49/EC as so amended.

The Regulations–

(a) prohibit the importation of “Egyptian peanuts” (defined in regulation 2(1)), except where they are accompanied by an Egyptian Government health certificate and the results of official sampling and analysis, the importation takes place only through a specified point of entry and the consignment is identified with a code corresponding with that specified on the health certificate and on the accompanying report containing the sampling and analysis results (regulation 3);

(b) provide for their enforcement (regulation 4);

(c) apply with modifications certain provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 for the purposes of the Regulations and provide for sampling and analysis (regulation 5); and

(d) provide for the re-dispatch or destruction of illegal imports of Egyptian peanuts (regulation 6);

The principal changes effected by these Regulations are that–

(a) the previous requirement that each consignment of Egyptian peanuts be subjected to sampling and analysis in order to ensure compliance with Commission Decision 2002/49/EC is modified by providing that–

(i) only approximately 20% of consignments of each category of Egyptian peanuts selected at random should be so subjected;

(ii) consignments so subjected must be detained for that purpose;

(iii) the period of detention should not exceed 15 working days;

(iv) an authorised officer of the food authority must issue a notice stating that sampling has taken place and the results of the analysis of the sample; and

(v) copies of the health certificate and results of sampling and analysis must accompany each part of a split consignment; and

(b) an authorised officer of the food authority is empowered (subject to a right of appeal to the sheriff) to issue a notice ordering the re-dispatch of illegal imports of Egyptian peanuts.

The CN codes referred to in the definition of “Egyptian peanuts” are the code numbers of the combined nomenclature established by Council Regulation 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the common customs tariff (O.J. No. L 256, 7.9.87, p.1).

No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in relation to these Regulations.

(1)

1972 c. 68. Section 2(2) was amended by the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) (“the 1998 Act”), Schedule 8, paragraph 15(3). The functions conferred on a Minister of the Crown under section 2(2) of the 1972 Act, in so far as within devolved competence, were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the 1998 Act.

(2)

1990 c. 16.

(3)

O.J. No. L 19, 25.1.00, p.46.

(4)

O.J. No. L 139, 2.6.99, p.32.

(5)

O.J. No. L 197, 5.8.03, p.31.

(6)

O.J. No. L 77, 16.3.01, p.1.

(7)

O.J. No. L 313, 30.11.01, p.60.

(8)

O.J. No. L 321, 6.12.01, p.1.

(9)

O.J. No. L 37, 7.2.02, p.4.

(10)

O.J. No. L 41, 13.2.02, p.12.

(11)

O.J. No. L 75, 16.3.02, p.18.

(12)

O.J. No. L 80, 23.3.02, p.42.

(13)

O.J. No. L 86, 3.4.02, p.5.

(14)

O.J. No. L 155, 14.6.02, p.63.

(15)

O.J. No. L 201, 17.7.98, p.93.

(16)

O.J. No. L 75, 16.3.02, p.44.

(17)

O.J. No. L 290, 24.11.93, p.14.

(18)

O.J. No. L 372, 31.12.85, p.50.

(19)

S.S.I. 2000/35.