General Requirements for Imports

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of 28 January 2002: laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety.

Regulation (EU) 2019/1381 of 20 June 2019: on the transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain. This Regulation amends and modifies some articles¹ of the Regulation (EC) No 178/2008, in particular regarding the Risk Communication, which shall pursue the following objectives: raise awareness and understanding of the specific issues under consideration, including in cases of divergences in scientific assessment, during the entire risk analysis process, ensure consistency, transparency and clarity in formulating risk management recommendations and decisions and provide a sound basis, ensure the provision of information to consumers about risk prevention strategies and contribute to the fight against the dissemination of false information and the sources thereof.

The Regulation implements a general plan for risk communication, which shall promote an integrated risk communication framework to be followed both by the risk assessors and the risk managers in a coherent and systematic manner both at Union and national level.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1250/2008 of 12 December 2008: amending Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 as regards certification requirements for import of fishery products, live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods intended for human consumption.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of 29 April 2004: on the hygiene of foodstuffs.

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of 29 April 2004: laying down specific hygiene rules for on the hygiene of foodstuffs.

Commission regulation (EC) No 136/2004 of 22 January 2004: laying down procedures for veterinary checks at Community border inspection posts on products imported from third countries.

Council Directive 2002/99/EC of 16 December 2002: laying down the animal health rules governing the production, processing, distribution and introduction of products of animal origin for human consumption and the principles regarding the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering from third countries.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 28/2012 of 11 January 2012: laying down requirements for the certification for imports into and transit through the Union of certain composite products and amending Decision 2007/275/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1162/2009.

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of 15 March 2017: on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004. It sets that food fraud is now an element of risk and part of the risk assessment the obligation of competent authorities to limit or minimise the burden on operators while performing official controls.

It replaces the different Border Inspection Posts (BIPs) and Designated Points of Entry (DPEs) which currently carry out border control tasks. It sets an Integrated Management System for Official Controls will allow the integration of all existing computerised systems (TRACES, RASFF, Europhyt, AAC), to optimise the handling and exchange of information, data and documents necessary for the enforcement of food chain rules. In line with this Regulation, all official controls performed by Member States are based on a multi-annual national control plan (MANCP).

¹Amended articles are: 6, 8a, 8b, 8c, 22, 25, 28, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32 d, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 61.

Additives, contaminants, antimicrobials and residues 

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006: setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 420/2011 of 29 April 2011: setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 629/2008 of 2 July 2008: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants (cadmium and mercury) in foodstuffs.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 565/2008 of 18 June 2008: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs as regards the establishment of a maximum level for dioxins and PCBs in fish liver.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1259/2011 of 2 December 2011: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels for dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in foodstuffs.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1327/2014 of 12 December 2014: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in traditionally smoked fish and fishery products.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1005 of 25 June 2015: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of lead in certain foodstuffs.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1125 of 10 July 2015: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Katsuobushi (dried bonito) and certain smoked Baltic herring.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/704 of 30 April 2015: amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards the maximum level of non-dioxin-like PCBs in wild caught spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias).

Regulation (EC) No 470/2009 of 6 May 2009: laying down Community procedures for the establishment of residue limits of pharmacologically active substances in foodstuffs of animal origin.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/782 of 29 May 2018: establishing the methodological principles for the risk assessment and risk management recommendations referred to in Regulation (EC) No 470/2009.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 of 22 December 2009: on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1056/2013 of 29 October 2013: amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin, as regards the substance neomycin.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 200/2014 of 3 March 2014: amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin, as regards the substance triptorelin acetate.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 363/2011 of 13 April 2011: amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin, as regards the substance isoeugenol in fin fish.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1161/2012 of 7 December 2012: amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin, as regards the substance fenbendazole.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 436/2012 of 23 May 2012: amending the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 on pharmacologically active substances and their classification regarding maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin, as regards the substance azamethiphos.

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of 16 December 2008: provides guidance about additives that are permitted to be added to food sold, their standards and their maximum levels                                                                                                                                                  

Microbiological and organic criteria

Council Regulation (EC) No 2406/96 of 26 November 1996: laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005: on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1019/2013 of 23 October 2013: amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 as regards histamine in fishery products.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/2285 of 8 December 2015: amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 and laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption as regards certain microbiological requirements for live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 of 5 December 2005: laying down implementing measures for certain products under Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and for the organisation of official controls under Regulation (EC) No 854/2004, Regulation (EC) and No 882/2004. It sets requirements on the total volatile basic nitrogen (tvb-n) limit values for certain categories of fishery products and analysis methods to be used. It sets recognised testing methods for detecting marine biotoxins.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1022/2008 of 17 October 2008: amending Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 as regards the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) limits.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1139 of 3 July 2019: amending Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 as regards official controls on food of animal origin in relation to requirements concerning food chain information and fishery products and to the reference to recognised testing methods for marine biotoxins.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1276/2011 of 8 December 2011: amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 as regards the treatment to kill viable parasites in fishery products for human consumption.

Traceability

Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008 of 29 September 2008: establishing a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009: establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy.

Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 of 11 December 2013: on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1184/2006 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000. 

Labelling and packaging

Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of 21 October 2009: laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and providing guidance about the necessary standards for labelling and packaging.

Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 of 11 December 2013: providing guidance about the necessary standards for labelling.

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 of 21 June 1989: laying down common marketing standards for preserved sardines.

Council Regulation (EEC) No 1536/92 of 9 June 1992: laying down common marketing standards for preserved tuna and bonito.

Other relevant regulations

Council Regulation (EC) No 2578/2000 of 17 November 2000: amending Regulation (EC) No 2406/96 laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products, regarding the minimum size of some fish and fishery products.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 790/2005 of 25 May 2005: amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2406/96 laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products, regarding the minimum size of Sprats.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2495/2001 of 19 December 2001: amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2406/96 laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products, regarding the minimum size of Herrings.

How do we find the last consolidated version of the regulations?

The latest version of the updated laws is available at the following link:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html

Last update: 17/04/2020