19.2.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 45/10

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provides for the authorisation of additives for use in animal nutrition and for the grounds and procedures for granting such authorisation. Article 10 provides for the re-evaluation of a feed additive pursuant to Council Directive 70/524/EEC (2).

(2)

Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone was authorised without a time limit in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC as a feed additive for piglets, dogs, calves and ovines. This substance was subsequently entered in the Register of feed additives established in Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 as an existing product, in accordance with Article 10(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 in conjunction with Article 7 thereof, an application was submitted for the re-evaluation of neohesperidine dihydrochalcone as a feed additive for piglets suckling and weaned, pigs for fattening, calves for rearing, calves for fattening, sheep and dogs. An application was also submitted in accordance with Article 7 of that Regulation for a new use via water for drinking for those species and categories of animals and for a new use for fish. The applicant requested this additive to be classified in the category ‘sensory additives’. That application was accompanied by the particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(3)

The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinion of 15 November 2011 (3) that, under the proposed conditions of use in feed for all species concerned except fish, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone does not have an adverse effect on animal health, human health or the environment. The Authority further concluded in the subsequent opinion of 9 April 2014 (4) that the use of neohesperidine dihydrochalcone as a feed additive for fish does not have an adverse effect on animal health, human health or the environment. The Authority considered that no further demonstration of efficacy is necessary since its function in feed is essentially the same as that in food. The Authority does not consider that there is a need for specific requirements of post-market monitoring. It also verified the report on the method of analysis of the feed additives in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(4)

The assessment shows that the conditions for authorisation, as provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, are satisfied. Accordingly, the use of this substance should be authorised as specified in the Annex to this Regulation.

(5)

Since safety reasons do not require the immediate application of the modifications to the conditions of authorisation, it is appropriate to allow a transitional period for interested parties to prepare themselves to meet the new requirements resulting from the authorisation.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,