Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2106

of 1 December 2016

amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 884/2014 imposing special conditions governing the import of spices from Ethiopia, groundnuts from Argentina and hazelnuts from Azerbaijan and amending the special conditions governing the import of dried figs and hazelnuts from Turkey and groundnuts from India

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety1, and in particular Article 53(1)(b)(ii) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 884/20142 imposes special conditions on the import of certain feed and food from certain third countries due to contamination risk by aflatoxins.
(2)

Since 2015, there have been several notifications in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reporting high levels of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in (mixtures of) spices from Ethiopia. In order to protect human and animal health in the Union, it is necessary to provide for additional guarantees in relation to spices from Ethiopia.

(3)
An increase of findings of non-compliance with Union legislation on aflatoxins has been reported by the RASFF recently for groundnuts (peanuts) from Argentina and hazelnuts from Azerbaijan. Both commodities have been listed in the past for an increased level of official controls on imports within the framework of Commission Regulation (EC) No 669/20093 and were delisted following favourable results of the official control checks. Given the recent increase of findings of non-compliance, it is necessary to provide for additional guarantees and to ensure that the competent authority of the country of origin carries out the necessary controls before export to the Union. Therefore the requirement that a health certificate accompany each consignment of groundnuts (peanuts) from Argentina and hazelnuts from Azerbaijan for import into the Union is necessary in order to protect human and animal health in the Union.
(4)

It should be noted that compound feed and food, containing any feed or food covered by the special conditions provided for in this Regulation in a quantity above 20 %, is also covered by the special conditions provided for in this Regulation. It should also be noted that the 20 % refers to the sum of the products covered by the special conditions provided for in this Regulation.

(5)

Given that in certain situations, consignments have arrived at the designated point of import (DPI) without the relevant entries in the Common Entry Document (CED) completed for documentary control, it is appropriate to explicitly provide that the transfer of the consignment to the DPI may only be authorised after the presentation of a completed CED for documentary control.

(6)

Based on the results of the official control tests, the following changes to products subject to specific conditions and/or control frequencies are appropriate: reduction of sampling frequency on dried figs from Turkey given the favourable results of the tests, reduction of sampling frequency on groundnuts (peanuts) from India given the favourable results of the tests, increase of the sampling frequency on hazelnuts from Turkey given the increase of findings of non-compliance through the RASFF.

(7)

Furthermore, the CN code of dried fruit of the genus Capsicum, whole, other than sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) has to be updated to align the scope with the entry Capsicum annuum, crushed or ground, i.e. not including the genus Pimenta.

(8)

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 884/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: