title: Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/495 of 25 March 2022 on monitoring the presence of furan and alkylfurans in food

text:
               28.3.2022

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 100/60

      COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2022/495
      of 25 March 2022
      on monitoring the presence of furan and alkylfurans in food
      THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 292 thereof,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  Furan and alkylfurans, which include methylfurans such as 2-methylfuran, 3-methylfuran and 2,5-dimethylfuran, are process contaminants that are formed in foods during thermal processing.

                  (2)

                  The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain adopted a scientific opinion in 2017 on the risks that the presence of furan and methylfurans in food poses to public health (1). It concluded that the current levels of exposure to furan indicate a health concern. As for methylfurans, the opinion concluded that they may add significantly to the overall exposure to furan and alkylfurans and therefore increase the health concern. However, as data are lacking on the presence of methylfurans in food EFSA recommended producing additional data in this area. In particular, furan and alkylfurans have been reported to occur in coffee, jarred baby food, ready-to-eat soup, potato-based crisps, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers and crispbread.

                  (3)

                  2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran can be reliably quantified with the currently available methods of analysis, while further work is needed for the reliable analysis of 2,5-dimethylfuran. However, if the used method of analysis enables it, it would be appropriate to analyse and quantify 2,5-dimethylfuran and to report the data.

                  (4)

                  Furthermore, the scientific literature has recently pointed to the presence of food contaminants related to alkylfurans other than methylfurans, such as 2-pentylfuran and 2-ethylfuran. It would therefore be appropriate to analyse and quantify such additional (non-methylfurans) alkylfurans, provided that the method of analysis is reliable for this purpose.

                  (5)

                  The results of the monitoring of furan and alkylfurans must be reliable and comparable. It is therefore appropriate to provide instructions on sampling and analytical performance criteria.

                  (6)

                  EFSA has a mandate from the European Commission to collect all available data on the occurrence of chemical contaminants in food and feed. These data are used in EFSA’s scientific opinions and reports on contaminants in food and feed.

                  (7)

                  It is therefore appropriate to recommend that furan and alkylfurans in food be monitored and the data reported to EFSA.

            HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

                  1.

                  Member States should, with the active involvement of food business operators, monitor furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in food, in particular in coffee, jarred baby food (including baby food in containers, tubes and pouches), ready-to-eat soup, potato-based crisps, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers and crispbread.

                  2.

                  To ensure that the samples are representative, Member States should follow the sampling procedures laid down in part B of the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 (2). Food business operators should also apply this sampling procedure or an equivalent sampling procedure, ensuring the sample is representative.

                  3.

                  For the analysis of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in coffee and jarred baby food, Member States and food business operators should use a method that complies with the following criteria:

                                 Parameter

                                 Criterion

                              Specificity

                              Free from matrix or spectral interferences

                              Field blanks

                              Less than limit of detection (LOD)

                              Repeatability (RSDr)

                              0,66 times RSDR as derived from (modified) Horwitz equation

                              Reproducibility (RSDR)

                              As derived from (modified) Horwitz equation

                              Recovery

                              80 – 110 %

                              Limit of detection (LOD)

                              Three tenths of LOQ

                              Limit of quantification (LOQ)

                              For coffee: not higher than 20 μg/kg
                              For jarred baby food: 5 μg/kg

                        For the analysis of furan in foods other than coffee and jarred baby food, Member States and food business operators should use a method that complies with these criteria and the limit of quantification (LOQ) should not be higher than 5 μg/kg.
                  For the analysis of 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in foods other than coffee and jarred baby food, laboratories should have quality control procedures in place to ensure the reliability of the obtained analytical results where the LOQ should not be higher than 5 μg/kg.

                  4.

                  If the used method of analysis enables the determination of alkylfurans other than 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, Member States and food business operators should determine those alkylfurans.

                  5.

                  Member States and food business operators should provide the monitoring results to EFSA by 30 June of each year, in line with the requirements of EFSA’s Guidance on Standard Sample Description (SSD) for Food and Feed and EFSA’s additional specific reporting requirements (3).

         Done at Brussels, 25 March 2022.

               For the Commission

            Stella KYRIAKIDES

               Member of the Commission

         (1)  EFSA CONTAM Panel (EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain), Scientific opinion on the risks for public health related to the presence of furan and methylfurans in food. EFSA Journal 2017;15(10):5005, 142 pp. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.5005

         (2)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 of 28 March 2007 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, 3-MCPD and benzo(a)pyrene in foodstuffs (OJ L 88, 29.3.2007, p. 29).

         (3)  https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/call/call-continuous-collection-chemical-contaminants-occurrence-data-0


title: Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1459 of 9 September 2021 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction

text:
                  10.9.2021

                  EN

                  Official Journal of the European Union

                  L 320/1

         COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2021/1459
         of 9 September 2021
         amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction
         THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
         Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 77(2)(b) and (e) and Article 292, first and second sentence thereof,
         Whereas:

                     (1)

                     On 30 June 2020, the Council adopted a Recommendation on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (1) (‘Council Recommendation’).

                     (2)

                     Since then, the Council adopted Recommendations (EU) 2020/1052 (2), (EU) 2020/1144 (3), (EU) 2020/1186 (4), (EU) 2020/1551 (5), (EU) 2020/2169 (6), (EU) 2021/89 (7), (EU) 2021/132 (8), (EU) 2021/767 (9), (EU) 2021/892 (10), (EU) 2021/992 (11), (EU) 2021/1085 (12), (EU) 2021/1170 (13) and (EU) 2021/1346 (14) amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction.

                     (3)

                     On 20 May 2021, the Council adopted Recommendation (EU) 2021/816 amending Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction (15) in order to update the criteria used to assess whether non-essential travel from third countries is safe and should be allowed.

                     (4)

                     The Council Recommendation provides that Member States should gradually lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU as from 1 July 2020 in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I to the Council Recommendation. Every two weeks, the list of third countries referred to in Annex I should be reviewed, and as the case may be updated, by the Council, after close consultation with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services following an overall assessment based on the methodology, criteria and information referred to in the Council Recommendation.

                     (5)

                     Discussions have since then taken place within the Council, in close consultation with the Commission and the relevant EU agencies and services, on the review of the list of third countries set out in Annex I to the Council Recommendation and in application of the criteria and methodology laid down in the Council Recommendation, as amended by Recommendation (EU) 2021/816. As a result of these discussions, the list of third countries set out in Annex I should be amended. In particular, Uruguay should be added to the list and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Japan and Serbia should be removed from the list.

                     (6)

                     Border control is in the interest not only of the Member State at whose external borders it is carried out but of all Member States which have abolished internal border control. Member States should therefore ensure that measures taken at the external borders are coordinated in order to ensure a well functioning Schengen area. To that end, as of 9 September 2021, Member States should continue lifting the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries, Special Administrative Regions and other entities and territorial authorities listed in Annex I of the Council Recommendation as amended by this Recommendation.

                     (7)

                     In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the Position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the TFEU, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Recommendation and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Given that this Recommendation builds upon the Schengen acquis, Denmark shall, in accordance with Article 4 of the said Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has decided on this Recommendation whether it will implement it.

                     (8)

                     This Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC (16); Ireland is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

                     (9)

                     As regards Iceland and Norway, this Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the latter’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Council Decision 1999/437/EC (17).

                     (10)

                     As regards Switzerland, this Recommendation constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A, of Decision 1999/437/EC (18) read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/146/EC (19).

                     (11)

                     As regards Liechtenstein, this Recommendation constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis which fall within the area referred to in Article 1 point A, of Decision 1999/437/EC (20) read in conjunction with Article 3 of Decision 2011/350/EU (21),

               HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:
         Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912, as amended by Recommendations (EU) 2020/1052, (EU) 2020/1144, (EU) 2020/1186, (EU) 2020/1551, (EU) 2020/2169, (EU) 2021/89, (EU) 2021/132, (EU) 2021/767, (EU) 2021/816, (EU) 2021/892, (EU) 2021/992, (EU) 2021/1085, (EU) 2021/1170 and (EU) 2021/1346, on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction is amended as follows:

                     (1)

                     The first paragraph of point 1 of the Council Recommendation is replaced by the following:

                                 ‘1.

                                 As from 9 September 2021, Member States should gradually lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU in a coordinated manner with regard to the residents of the third countries listed in Annex I.’.

                     (2)

                     Annex I to the Recommendation is replaced by the following:

                           ‘ANNEX I
                           Third countries, Special Administrative Regions and other entities and territorial authorities whose residents should not be affected by temporary external borders restriction on non-essential travel into the EU:
                           I.   STATES

                                       1.

                                       AUSTRALIA

                                       2.

                                       BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

                                       3.

                                       CANADA

                                       4.

                                       JORDAN

                                       5.

                                       NEW ZEALAND

                                       6.

                                       QATAR

                                       7.

                                       REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

                                       8.

                                       SAUDI ARABIA

                                       9.

                                       SINGAPORE

                                       10.

                                       SOUTH KOREA

                                       11.

                                       UKRAINE

                                       12.

                                       URUGUAY

                                       13.

                                       CHINA (*1)

                                 II.   SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

                                       Hong Kong SAR

                                       Macao SAR

                                 III.   ENTITIES AND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES THAT ARE NOT RECOGNISED AS STATES BY AT LEAST ONE MEMBER STATE

                                       Taiwan

                        (*1)  subject to confirmation of reciprocity"

            Done at Brussels, 9 September 2021.

                  For the Council

                  The President

               G. DOVŽAN

            (1)  OJ L 208 I, 1.7.2020, p. 1.

            (2)  OJ L 230, 17.7.2020, p. 26.

            (3)  OJ L 248, 31.7.2020, p. 26.

            (4)  OJ L 261, 11.8.2020, p. 83.

            (5)  OJ L 354, 26.10.2020, p. 19.

            (6)  OJ L 431, 21.12.2020, p. 75.

            (7)  OJ L 33, 29.1.2021, p. 1.

            (8)  OJ L 41, 4.2.2021, p. 1.

            (9)  OJ L 165 I, 11.5.2021, p. 66.

            (10)  OJ L 198, 4.6.2021, p. 1.

            (11)  OJ L 221, 21.6.2021, p. 12.

            (12)  OJ L 235, 2.7.2021, p. 27.

            (13)  OJ L 255, 16.7.2021, p.3.

            (14)  OJ L 306, 31.8.2021, p. 4.

            (15)  OJ L 182, 21.5.2021, p. 1.

            (16)  Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland’s request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20).

            (17)  OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31.

            (18)  OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52.

            (19)  Council Decision 2008/146/EC of 28 January 2008 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1).

            (20)  OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 21.

            (21)  Council Decision 2011/350/EU of 7 March 2011 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, relating to the abolition of checks at internal borders and movement of persons (OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 19).


title: Recommendation of the European Central Bank of 7 September 2021 to the Council of the European Union on the external auditors of the Banca d’Italia (ECB/2021/41) 2021/C 370/01

text:
               15.9.2021

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 370/1

      RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
      of 7 September 2021
      to the Council of the European Union on the external auditors of the Banca d’Italia
      (ECB/2021/41)
      (2021/C 370/01)
      THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
      Having regard to the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, and in particular Article 27.1 thereof,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  The accounts of the European Central Bank (ECB) and national central banks of the Member States whose currency is the euro are audited by independent external auditors recommended by the ECB’s Governing Council and approved by the Council of the European Union.

                  (2)

                  The mandate of the Banca d’Italia’s current external auditors, BDO Italia S.p.A., ended after the audit for the financial year 2020. It is therefore necessary to appoint external auditors from the financial year 2021.

                  (3)

                  The Banca d’Italia has selected Deloitte & Touche S.p.A. as its external auditors for the financial years 2021 to 2022,

            HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:
      It is recommended that Deloitte & Touche S.p.A. should be appointed as the external auditors of the Banca d’Italia for the financial years 2021 to 2022.

         Done at Frankfurt am Main, 7 September 2021.

               The President of the ECB

            Christine LAGARDE