Animal nutrition: official inspections

OBJECTIVE: to amend Directive 95/53/EC to provide a legal instrument better suited to inspection needs in the field of animal nutrition. SUBSTANCE: the proposed amendments would enable the Commission to adopt additional measures in order to establish a reliable, harmonised procedure for documentary, identity and physical checks for all products from third countries used in animal nutrition. To this end, the proposal seeks to: - permit experts from the Commission and Member States to carry out on-the-spot checks not only in the Community but also in third countries, particularly if a phenomenon arises which may adversely affect the healthiness of animal feed placed in circulation in the Community; - adopt a safeguard system and enable the Commission to send Community experts to carry out on-the-spot checks if necessary to ascertain whether Community rules are being respected and, if appropriate, to adopt suitable measures to deal with the situation; - entrust to the Commission the task of adopting specific coordinated inspection programmes in addition to the general programmes already provided for by Directive 95/53/EC in the event of unexpected contamination which could present a serious and imminent danger to human and animal health.�