Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2110 of 23 September 2026 concerning the authorisation of marjoram essential oil from Origanum majorana L. as a feed additive for all animal species

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/2110 24.9.2026 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2026/2110 of 23 September 2026 concerning the authorisation of marjoram essential oil from Origanum majoranaL. as a feed additive for all animal species (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition(1), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(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 an authorisation. Article 10(2) of that Regulation provides for the re-evaluation of additives authorised pursuant to Council Directive 70/524/EEC(2).

(2) The substance marjoram essential oil, previously identified as marjoram oil sweet, from Origanum majorana L. (synonym: Majorana hortensisMoench) was authorised without a time limit in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC as a feed additive for all animal species. This substance was subsequently entered in the Register of Feed Additives as an existing product, in accordance with Article 10(1), point (b), of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(3) In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 in conjunction with Article 7 thereof, an application was submitted for the authorisation of marjoram essential oil from Origanum majorana L. as a feed additive for all animal species, requesting the additive to be classified in the additive category ‘sensory additives’ and in the functional group ‘flavouring compounds’. The application was accompanied by the particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(4) The applicant requested the additive to be authorised also for use in water for drinking. However, Regulation

(EC) No 1831/2003 does not allow the authorisation of ‘flavouring compounds’ for use in water for drinking.

Therefore, the use of this additive in water for drinking should not be allowed.

(5) The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinion of 18 November 2025(3) that marjoram essential oil from Origanum majoranaL. is of no safety concern for all animal species for fattening and that it is very unlikely to induce adverse effects for long-living and reproductive animals at the maximum proposed use level of 10 mg/kg complete feed. Furthermore, it concluded that no safety concerns for consumers and the environment were identified following the use of marjoram essential oil from Origanum majorana L. under the proposed conditions of use. Regarding user safety, the Authority concluded that marjoram essential oil from Origanum majoranaL. should be considered as irritant to skin and eyes and as a dermal and respiratory sensitiser. The Authority indicated that, when handling the essential oil, exposure of unprotected users to estragole, a genotoxic carcinogen, may occur and that therefore, exposure of users by any route is considered a risk and should be minimised. The Authority further concluded that since the leaves of Origanum majoranaL. and their preparations are recognised to flavour food and their function in feed would be essentially the same as that in food, no further demonstration of efficacy is considered necessary. It also verified the report on the method of analysis of the feed additive in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(1) OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2003/1831/oj.

(2) Council Directive 70/524/EEC of 23 November 1970 concerning additives in feeding-stuffs (OJ L 270, 14.12.1970, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1970/524/oj).

(3) EFSA Journal2025:23(12):e9786 https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9786.

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/2110/oj 1/5EN OJ L, 24.9.2026

(6) In view of the above, the Commission considers that marjoram essential oil from Origanum majoranaL. satisfies the conditions provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Accordingly, the use of that substance should be authorised as specified in the Annex to this Regulation. The Commission considers that the presence of estragole, a substance of concern belonging to p-allylalkoxybenzenes group, in marjoram essential oil from Origanum majorana L., requires the setting of maximum content for this feed additive in complete feed. It also considers that the simultaneous use of marjoram essential oil from Origanum majoranaL. with other feed additives is permitted provided that the combined content of p-allylalkoxybenzenes (methyleugenol, estragole, elemicin, safrole, myristicin, dillapiole, and apiole) in feed materials and compound feed remains below the content that would result from using the authorised feed additive with the highest content of those substances at its maximum or recommended maximum content for the relevant animal species or category. In addition, the Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should be taken to prevent adverse effects on the health of the users of the additive.

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

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 Authorisation The substance specified in the Annex, belonging to the additive category ‘sensory additives’ and to the functional group ‘flavouring compounds’, is authorised as an additive in animal nutrition, subject to the conditions laid down in that Annex.

Article 2 Transitional measures

1. The feed additive marjoram essential oil from Origanum majoranaL., as authorised pursuant to Directive 70/524/EEC and premixtures containing this additive, which are produced and labelled before 14 April 2027 in accordance with the rules applicable before 14 October 2026 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the stocks concerned are exhausted.

2. Compound feed and feed materials containing the feed additive referred to in paragraph 1, which are produced and labelled before 14 October 2027 in accordance with the rules applicable before 14 October 2026 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the stocks concerned are exhausted, if they are intended for food-producing animals.

3. Compound feed and feed materials containing the feed additive referred to in paragraph 1, which are produced and labelled before 14 October 2028 in accordance with the rules applicable before 14 October 2026 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the stocks concerned are exhausted, if they are intended for non-food producing animals.

2/5 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/2110/ojEN OJ L, 24.9.2026 Article 3 Entry into force 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, 23 September 2026.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/2110/oj 3/5ANNEX Mini­ Maxi­ mum mum Identifica­ content content tion Name of the Composition, chemical formula, description, Species or category of Maximum End of period of number mg active Other provisions additive analytical method. animal age authorisation of the substance/kg of additive complete feed with a moisture content of 12 %

Category: Sensory additives. Functional group: Flavouring compounds 2b316-­ Marjoram Additive composition All animal species — — 10 1. The additive shall be 14 October eo essential incorporated into the feed in 2036 Essential oil from dried leaves of Origanum oil the form of a premixture.

majoranaL. (synonym: Majorana hortensis Moench) 2. In the directions for use of the additive and Liquid form premixtures, the storage Characterisation of the active substance conditions and the stability to heat treatment shall be

Marjoram essential oil: indicated.

Essential oil, as defined by the Council of

3. Simultaneous use of Europe(1), obtained from the dried leaves of marjoram essential oil with Origanum majoranaL. by steam distillation and other feed additives is further condensation of volatile constituents permitted provided that the and separation from the aqueous phase by combined content of p- decantation. Volatile fraction mixing allylalkoxybenzenes may be used to achieve a specification.

(methyleugenol, estragole,

EC numbers: 616-955-7/ 616-979-8/ elemicin, safrole, myristicin, 282-004-4(2) dillapiole, and apiole) in feed

CAS number: 8015-01-8/ 8016-33-9 materials and compound

FEMA number: 2663 feed remains below the

CoE number: 316 content that would result Specifications from using the authorised 4-Terpinenol: 14 – 32 % feed additive with the highest γ-Terpinene: 11 – 18 % content of those substances α-Terpinene: 6 – 12 % at its maximum or Sabinene (4(10)-thujene): 4 – 10 % recommended maximum trans-Sabinene hydrate: 1,5 – 7,5 % content for the relevant α-Terpineol: 1 – 5 % animal species or category.

4/5

ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/2110/oj EN OJ L,

24.9.2026Mini­ Maxi­ mum mum Identifica­ content content tion Name of the Composition, chemical formula, description, Species or category of Maximum End of period of number mg active Other provisions additive analytical method. animal age authorisation of the substance/kg of additive complete feed with a moisture content of 12 %

Estragole: ≤ 0,29 % 4. For users of the additive and

Myristicin: ≤ 0,001 % premixtures, feed business operators shall establish Analytical method(3) operational procedures and For the determination of 4-terpinenol and organisational measures to α-terpineol (phytochemical markers) in the feed address potential risks

additive: resulting from their use. — Gas chromatography coupled with flame Where those risks cannot be ionisation detection (GC-FID) eliminated by such procedures and measures, the additive and premixtures shall be used with personal skin, eye and breathing protective equipment.

(1) Natural sources of flavourings – Report No 2 (2007).

(2) Here it only refers to the marjoram essential oil from dried leaves of Origanum majoranaL.

(3) Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the Reference Laboratory: https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/eurl-fa-eurl-feed-additives/eurl-fa-authorisation/eurl-fa- evaluation-reports_en.

ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/2110/oj 5/5 OJ L,

24.9.2026 EN