Introductory text

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients^f1, and in particular Article 7 thereof,

Whereas:

On 31 January 2011, the Norwegian company Calanus AS made a request to the competent authority of the United Kingdom to place oil from the crustacean (marine zooplankton) Calanus finmarchicus harvested in the Norwegian Economic Zone and the Jan Mayen zone on the Union market as a novel food ingredient within the meaning of point (e) of Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97.

On 21 October 2016, the competent authority of the United Kingdom issued its initial assessment report. In that report, it came to the conclusion that oil from Calanus finmarchicus meets the criteria for novel food set out in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97.

On 8 November 2016, the Commission forwarded the initial assessment report to the other Member States.

Reasoned objections were raised by other Member States within the 60-day period laid down in the first subparagraph of Article 6(4) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97, in particular concerning the insufficient information on productions process, storage stability and toxicological data. The additional explanations provided by the applicant alleviated those concerns to the satisfaction of Member States and of the Commission.

Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council^f2 lays down requirements for food supplements. The use of oil from Calanus finmarchicus should be authorised without prejudice to the provisions of that Directive.

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: