Commission Implementing Decision of 21 December 2011 amending Decision 2009/852/EC on transitional measures under Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regard the processing of non-compliant raw milk in certain milk-processing establishments in Romania and the structural requirements of such establishments (notified under document C(2011) 9562) (Text with EEA relevance) (2011/898/EU)

Commission Implementing Decision

of 21 December 2011

amending Decision 2009/852/EC on transitional measures under Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regard the processing of non-compliant raw milk in certain milk-processing establishments in Romania and the structural requirements of such establishments

(notified under document C(2011) 9562)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2011/898/EU)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs(1) and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 12 thereof,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin(2) and in particular Article 9 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 lays down general rules for food business operators on the hygiene of foodstuffs based amongst others on the principles of hazard analysis and critical control points. It provides that food business operators are to comply with certain procedures based on those principles.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 lays down specific rules on the hygiene of food of animal origin for food business operators and supplements the rules laid down in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004. The rules laid down in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 include structural requirements for milk-processing establishments and the rules laid down in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 include structural requirements for such establishments as well as hygiene requirements concerning raw milk and dairy products.

(3) Article 2 of Commission Decision 2009/852/EC(3) provides that certain structural requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 are not to apply, until 31 December 2011, to the milk-processing establishments in Romania listed in Annex I to that Decision.

(4) Decision 2009/852/EC also provides that, by way of derogation from the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, the milk-processing establishments listed in Annex II thereto may process, until 31 December 2011, compliant and non-compliant milk, provided that such processing is carried out on separate production lines.

(5) In addition, Decision 2009/852/EC provides that the milk-processing establishments listed in Annex III thereto may process, until 31 December 2011, compliant and non-compliant milk without separate production lines.

(6) In September 2011 Romania has informed the Commission that, starting from January 2012, all the milk-processing establishments which are currently listed in Annex I to Decision 2009/852/EC will be in compliance with the structural requirements laid down in Regulations (EC) No 852/2004 and (EC) No 853/2004. Consequently Article 2 of Decision 2009/852/EC should be deleted.

(7) Annexes II and III to Decision 2009/852/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(8) In addition, Romania has informed the Commission that, since the entry into force of Decision 2009/852/EC, the proportion of raw milk that complies with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, delivered to milk-processing establishments in that Member State, has considerably increased. Romania has also established an action plan aimed at covering the entire production chain of milk in that Member State ensuring compliance with the EU rules.

(9) However, according with the report submitted by Romania on the basis of Article 6 of Decision 2009/852/EC and on the information provided by Romanian authorities during the Standing Committee of Food Chain and Animal Health of 17 October 2011, the situation of the milk sector in Romania is still not in conformity with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

(10) Taking into account the current situation, and in order to avoid frustrating the efforts made by the Romanian authorities, it is appropriate to extend the application of the measures provided for in Decision 2009/852/EC.

(11) Romania should continue the process of bringing the raw milk processed by the establishments listed in Annexes II and III to Decision 2009/852/EC in compliance with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

(12) In particular, Romania should continue to monitor the situation and submit to the Commission regular reports on progress towards full compliance with those requirements. Based on the conclusions of those reports, appropriate measures should be taken.

(13) Decision 2009/852/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(14) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 1.

(2)

OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55.

(3)

OJ L 312, 27.11.2009, p. 59.