Directive 1970/524 - Additives in feeding-stuffs - Main contents

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Council Directive 70/524/EEC of 23 November 1970 concerning additives in feeding-stuffs

Official Journal L 270 , 14/12/1970 P. 0001 - 0017

Danish special edition: Series I Chapter 1970(III) P. 0743

English special edition: Series I Chapter 1970(III) P. 0840

Greek special edition: Chapter 03 Volume 6 P. 0060

Spanish special edition: Chapter 03 Volume 4 P. 0082

Portuguese special edition Chapter 03 Volume 4 P. 0082

Finnish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 3 P. 0118

Swedish special edition: Chapter 3 Volume 3 P. 0118

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 23 November 1970 concerning additives in feeding-stuffs (70/524/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof;

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1);

Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;

Whereas livestock production occupies a very important place in the agriculture of the European Economic Community ; whereas satisfactory results depend to a large extent on the use of appropriate good-quality feeding-stuffs;

Whereas the existence of rules concerning feeding-stuffs is essential to an increase in agricultural productivity;

Whereas animal feeding increasingly involves the use of additives;

Whereas the provisions laid down in the Member States by law, regulation or administrative action concerning additives in feeding-stuffs, insofar as they exist, differ as regards their basic principles ; whereas it follows that they directly affect the establishment and functioning of the common market and should therefore be harmonised;

Whereas, as a general rule, "additives" means substances which improve both the feeding-stuffs in which they are incorporated and livestock production ; whereas, for this reason, antibiotics should also be regarded as additives since, when used in small quantities, they have a physiological nutritional effect, although when used in large quantities they have a medicinal effect;

Whereas these substances must not be used in feeding-stuffs for the prime purpose of diagnosing, treating or preventing disease ; whereas they should, however be authorised for the sole purpose of improving feeding-stuffs by preventing nutritional deficiencies;

Whereas, furthermore, certain purely medicinal substances such as coccidiostats should, during a first stage, be regarded in relation to feeding-stuffs as additives, since most Member States have been using them for collective prophylaxis, principally in poultry-farming ; whereas, however, they will be examined further if a directive on medicinal feeding-stuffs is drawn up;

Whereas the basic principle underlying rules in this field must be that only those additives which are named in this Directive may be contained in feeding-stuffs and only subject to the requirements set out herein, and that such additives may not, subject to the exceptions provided for, be used in any other way for the purposes of animal feeding;

Whereas it is necessary, at the time when additives are authorised, to make sure that they have a favourable effect on the characteristics of the feeding-stuffs to which they are added or on livestock production ; whereas they must not endanger animal or human health nor harm the consumer of livestock products ; whereas, subject to the exceptions provided for, it is advisable to examine whether such additives may now be used for the treatment or prevention of disease or whether there are still serious reasons for restricting their use to medical or veterinary purposes; (1)OJ No C 135, 14.12.1968, p. 20.

Whereas, because of the special situation of certain Member States, and in particular because of their different systems of animal feeding, it is necessary in certain cases to allow derogations from the above-mentioned principles to an...

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