Date: 2018-12-17Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1991 of 13 December 2018 authorising the placing on the market of berries of Lonicera caerulea L. as a traditional food from a third country under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 (Text with EEA relevance.)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Executive Summary:
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1991 authorises the placing on the market of berries of Lonicera caerulea L. (Haskap) as a traditional food from a third country within the Union, amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470. This decision follows a notification by Soloberry Ltd and a lack of safety objections from Member States or the European Food Safety Authority. The regulation entered into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Key Points / Main Content:
Authorisation:
* Berries of Lonicera caerulea L. (Haskap) are included in the Union list of authorised novel foods.
* This inclusion amends Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, which establishes the Union list of novel foods.
Conditions of Use and Labelling:
* The entry in the Union list includes specific conditions of use and labelling requirements.
* The designation of the novel food on the labelling of foodstuffs containing it shall be "haskap (Lonicera caerulea berries)".
Specification:
* The traditional food consists of fresh and frozen berries from Lonicera caerulea var. edulis.
* Typical nutritional components of fresh haskap berries are specified, including carbohydrates, fibre, lipids, proteins, ash, and water content.
Impact Analysis:
European Commission:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and enforcing the regulation, including updating the Union list of novel foods.
* Action Required: Ensure the Union list of novel foods is updated to include Lonicera caerulea L. berries.
Soloberry Ltd (Applicant):
* Impact: Authorised to place berries of Lonicera caerulea L. (Haskap) on the Union market as a traditional food from a third country.
* Action Required: Comply with the conditions of use and labelling requirements specified in the Annex.
Member States:
* Impact: Required to recognise the authorisation of Lonicera caerulea L. berries as a novel food within the Union.
* Action Required: Ensure national regulations align with the EU regulation regarding the placing on the market of Lonicera caerulea L. berries.
Consumers:
* Impact: Can now access foodstuffs containing Lonicera caerulea L. berries (Haskap) within the Union, labelled accordingly.
* Action Required: Be aware of the labelling requirements, specifically that the berries are identified as "haskap (Lonicera caerulea berries)".
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1991: A regulation by the European Commission authorising the placing on the market of berries of Lonicera caerulea L. as a traditional food from a third country.
Regulation (EU) 2015/2283: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on novel foods.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470: Commission Implementing Regulation establishing a Union list of authorised novel foods.
Lonicera caerulea L.: Scientific name for the plant species, berries of which are the subject of the regulation (also known as Haskap).
Soloberry Ltd: The company that submitted the notification to the Commission to place berries of Lonicera caerulea L. on the Union market.
European Food Safety Authority: The Authority, to which the Commission forwarded the notification.
Japan: The third country where berries of Lonicera caerulea L. have a history of safe food use.
L 320/22 EN Official Journal of the European Union 17.12.2018
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2018/1991
of 13 December 2018
authorising the placing on the market of berries of Lonicera caerulea L. as a traditional food from
a third country under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council
and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on
novel foods, amending Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing
Regulation (EC) No 258/97 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2001 (1), and in particular Article 15(4) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 provides that only novel foods authorised and included in the Union list may be
placed on the market within the Union. Traditional food from a third country is a novel food defined in Article 3
of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.
(2) Pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU)
2017/2470 (2) establishing a Union list of authorised novel foods was adopted.
(3) Pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, the Commission is to decide on the authorisation and
on the placing on the Union market of a traditional food from a third country.
(4) On 26 January 2018, the company Soloberry Ltd (‘the applicant’) submitted a notification to the Commission of
the intention to place berries of Lonicera caerulea L. (‘Haskap’) on the Union market as a traditional food from
a third country within the meaning of Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The applicant requests for
berries of Lonicera caerulea L. to be consumed as such (fresh or frozen) by the general population.
(5) The documented data, presented by the applicant, demonstrate that berries of Lonicera caerulea L. have a history of
safe food use in Japan.
(6) Pursuant to Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, on 28 February 2018, the Commission forwarded the
valid notification to the Member States and to the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’).
(7) No duly reasoned safety objections to the placing on the market within the Union of berries of Lonicera caerulea L.
were submitted to the Commission by Member States or the Authority within the four months period laid down
in Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.
(8) The Commission should therefore authorise the placing on the market within the Union of berries of Lonicera
caerulea L. and update the Union list of novel foods.
(9) Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. Berries of Lonicera caerulea L. as specified in the Annex to this Regulation shall be included in the Union list of
authorised novel foods established in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470.
2. The entry in the Union list referred to in paragraph 1 shall include the conditions of use and labelling
requirements laid down in the Annex to this Regulation.
(1) OJ L 327, 11.12.2015, p. 1.
(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 of 20 December 2017 establishing the Union list of novel foods in accordance
with Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council on novel foods (OJ L 351, 30.12.2017, p. 72).17.12.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 320/23
Article 2
The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 13 December 2018.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude JUNCKERL 320/24 EN Official Journal of the European Union 17.12.2018
ANNEX
The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 is amended as follows:
(1) The following entry is inserted in Table 1 (Authorised novel foods) in alphabetical order:
Conditions under
Other
Authorised novel food which the novel Additional specific labelling requirements
requirements
food may be used
‘Lonicera caerulea L. berries (haskap) Not specified The designation of the novel food on
the labelling of the foodstuffs con
(Traditional food from a third country)
taining it shall be “haskap (Lonicera
caerulea) berries”’
(2) The following entry is inserted in Table 2 (Specifications) in alphabetical order:
Authorised novel food Specifications
‘Lonicera caerulea L. berries (haskap) Description/Definition:
(Traditional food from a third country) The traditional food are fresh and frozen berries from Lonicera caerulea var.
edulis.
Lonicera caerulea L. is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Caprifoliaceae
family.
Typical nutritional components of haskap berries (given in fresh ber
ries):
Carbohydrates: 12,8 %
Fibre: 2,1 %
Lipids: 0,6 %
Proteins: 0,7 %
Ash: 0,4 %
Water: 85,5 %’