Commission Decision of 22 March 2010 amending Decision 2002/840/EC as regards the list of approved facilities in third countries for the irradiation of foods (notified under document C(2010) 1707) (Text with EEA relevance) (2010/172/EU)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

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 three irradiation facilities in India 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 India complied with most of the requirements of Directive 1999/2/EC. The shortcomings identified by the Commission have been adequately addressed by the Indian 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: