Commission proposes to modernise & simplify feed legislation

The European Commission published a proposal to modernise and simplify legislation on the marketing and use of animal feed. The proposal is available on the Commission's website and is intended to replace four existing directives with one regulation which will apply directly in all Member States and bring together into one comprehensive document most of the provisions of the four existing directives it will replace. It will thereby eliminate inconsistencies between Member States in the transposition of these four Directives and so contribute to the better functioning of the single market. The regulation also aims to contribute to a reduction of administrative burdens on industry by removing unnecessary labelling requirements.~

The key aspects of the proposed regulation are:

  • repeal of the existing requirement to declare the ingredients of compound feed by their percentage weight of inclusion

  • introduction of a clear demarcation between complementary feeds and premixtures
  • a new requirement for compound feed labelling to declare the presence of all additives subject to a maximum inclusion rate

  • stricter limits of variation for labelling declarations of analytical ingredients (protein, fibre, moisture, etc.)

  • repeal of the existing requirement for a pre-market assessment of new bioprotein products

  • introduction of new controls on the claims that can be made for feed products
  • removal of the existing derogation for the labelling of feed materials with a moisture content of more than 50%

  • introduction of a formal procedure for the addition of new entries to the list of nutritional purposes for which dietetic feeds may be promoted

  • introduction of a Community Catalogue of feed materials, in place of the existing list of such materials in current legislation, and Codes of Practice for the labelling of feed

The proposed regulation does not contain provisions on feed containing or produced from genetically modified organisms, controls on the use of feed additives, or measures to control contaminants, which are and will remain the subject of separate EC measures.

For more info see the FSA website: here