Here is a summary of the key highlights from the Animal Nutrition Committee:

• Regulation (EC) No 429/2008 on detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the preparation and the presentation of applications and the assessment and the authorisation of feed additives, will be amended in relation to the last development following the modification of the General Food Law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002). The Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service, informed on an updating of its guideline on the analytical method for the detection of rDNA. Member States have been informed that the revision of Chapter 8 “Additives already authorised for use in food” will be modified by the Delegated Act.

• A list of products considered out of the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition and a list of feed additives to be withdrawn from the marked were discussed. A further verification of the characteristics of certain product will be carried out before establishing a draft of the envisaged measure.

• It was highlighted that the production of a feed additive intended for direct export to third countries, i.e. without placing on the market in the EU, does not fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. However, food business operators must comply with relevant applicable legal requirements in the EU, particularly Articles 12 and 17 of the General Food Law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), and the Feed Hygiene Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 183/2005).

• A call for applications for the selection of members for the New Commission Expert Group on Animal Nutrition, other than Member States’ authorities and other public entities, was published on the Register of Commission expert groups on 25 October 2019. The call was addressed to organisations representing interests in the field of animal nutrition and provides for specific selection criteria. The deadline for submitting applications was 25 November 2019.

• The new transparency legislation (Regulation (EU) 2019/1381) will enter into application on 27 March 2021. Modifications are brought to the General Food Law and the new transparency legislation has implications on Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 to transparency and confidentiality issues.

• A discussion on the placement on the EU market of complementary feed containing nutritional feed additives (compounds of trace elements) which are not authorised for use in feed, took place. The use of trace elements in water for drinking is not authorised, but this does not prohibit their incorporation in compound feed which is administered via water. However, the complementary feed shall not be used in water for drinking. Thus, the instructions for proper use of such complementary feed shall not indicate the dosage into water for drinking.

During the SCoPAFF meeting, which took place on 17 – 19 December 2019, a revision of Regulation 68/2013 on the Catalogue of Feed Materials was discussed, covering the EU FCTF proposal for a 4th update of the Catalogue. This discussion will continue during the next upcoming SCoPAFF meeting, which will take place on 10 – 12 February. The agenda for the upcoming meeting can be found here.