Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Directive 1999/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 February 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning foods and food ingredients treated with ionising radiation^f1, and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,

Whereas:

According to Directive 1999/2/EC a foodstuff treated with ionising radiation may not be imported from a third country unless it has been treated in an irradiation facility approved by the Community.

A list of approved facilities has been established by Commission Decision 2002/840/EC^f2.

The Commission received an application for approval of two irradiation facilities in Thailand through their competent authorities. Commission experts inspected the irradiation facilities in order to check whether they comply with the requirements of Directive 1999/2/EC and in particular whether official supervision guarantees that they comply with the requirements of Article 7 of that Directive.

The facilities in Thailand complied with most of the requirements of Directive 1999/2/EC. The shortcomings identified by the Commission have been adequately addressed by the Thai competent authorities.

Decision 2002/840/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: