Directive 96/23/EC lays down measures to monitor the substances and groups of residues listed in Annex I thereto.

In accordance with Article 14(1) of Directive 96/23/EC, each Member State has to designate at least one national reference laboratory, which is to be responsible for certain tasks that are laid down in that Directive. The same Article also provides that a list of such designated laboratories is to be drawn up by the Commission.

Several Member States have informed the Commission that the groups of residues monitored by certain laboratories currently listed in the Annex to Decision 98/536/EC have changed. In the interest of clarity and consistency of Union law, it is therefore appropriate to update the list of national reference laboratories set out in the Annex to that Decision.

Decision 98/536/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,