THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules, and in particular Article 15(5) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 lays down rules concerning the increased level of official controls to be carried out on imports of feed and food of non-animal origin listed in Annex I thereto (‘the list’), at the points of entry into the territories referred to in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004.
(2)
Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 provides that the list is to be reviewed on a regular basis, and at least quarterly, taking into account at least the sources of information referred to in that Article.
(3)
The occurrence and relevance of food incidents notified through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, the findings of audits to third countries carried out by the Food and Veterinary Office, as well as the quarterly reports on consignments of feed and food of non-animal origin submitted by Member States to the Commission in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 indicate that the list should be amended.
(4)
In particular, for consignments of dried vine fruit from Afghanistan, watermelons from Brazil, strawberries from China, peas and beans from Kenya, mint from Morocco, watermelon seeds and derived products from Sierra Leone and certain herbs, spices and vegetables from Vietnam, the relevant sources of information indicate the emergence of new risks and/or a degree of non-compliance with the relevant safety requirements, thereby warranting the introduction of an increased level of official controls. Entries concerning those consignments should be therefore included in the list.
(5)
The list should also be amended to decrease the intensity of official controls of the commodities for which the available information indicates an overall improvement of compliance with the relevant requirements provided for in Union legislation and for which the current frequency of official controls is therefore no longer justified. The entries in the list concerning aubergines and bitter melon from Dominican Republic, spices from India and Yardlong beans, aubergines and Brassica vegetables from Thailand, should be therefore amended accordingly.
(6)
The list should also be amended by deleting the entries for commodities for which available information indicates an overall satisfactory degree of compliance with the relevant safety requirements provided for in Union legislation and for which an increased control frequency is therefore no longer justified. The entries in the list concerning peaches from Egypt, feed additives and premixtures from India and Capsicum annuum from Peru should be therefore deleted.
(7)
With a view to better targeting certain products set out in the list, TARIC codes have to be added, where appropriate. Amendment of certain CN codes is also necessary to align with the revised Combined Nomenclature applying as of 1 January 2013.
(8)
In the interest of consistency and clarity of Union legislation, it is appropriate to replace Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.
(9)
Regulation (EC) No 669/2009 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(10)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: