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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 03-08-12
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Climate change: Commission tackles fluorinated gases
[02] Serbia: Commission approves €1 million for refugees and displaced
people in Serbia
[03] Commission acts to limit levels of the mycotoxin “patulin” in apple
products
Midday Express 12/08/2003
TXT: FR ENPDF:DOC:Midday Express 12/08/2003
[01] Climate change: Commission tackles fluorinated gases
The European Commission has adopted a proposal for a Regulation to reduce
emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases. The proposal represents a
further step towards fulfilling the EU's obligations under the Kyoto
Protocol to reduce emissions of all gases contributing to global warming.
Fluorinated gases are extremely powerful and long-lived greenhouse gases.
Their emissions are forecast to increase rapidly in the coming years if no
action is taken. The gases are used in refrigeration, air conditioning,
fire-fighting equipment and various industry processes. The Commission's
proposal is expected to reduce by almost a quarter the projected emissions
of these gases by 2010.
[02] Serbia: Commission approves €1 million for refugees and displaced
people in Serbia
The European Commission has adopted a €1 million humanitarian decision to
help meet the needs of vulnerable refugees and internally displaced people
(IDPs) in Serbia during the coming winter. The humanitarian assistance
provided will consist of heating fuel and coal for almost 20,000 refugees
and IDPs living in collective accommodation in Serbia. As a result of the
timely adoption of this decision, it is expected that all the heating needs
of the 247 collective centres currently in operation will be covered during
the 2003-2004 winter. The funds will be allocated via the European
Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office, ECHO, under the responsibility of
Commissioner Poul Nielson, to an international NGO operating in the
country.
[03] Commission acts to limit levels of the mycotoxin “patulin” in apple
products
The European Commission today adopted a set of measures to limit the
presence of the mycotoxin “patulin” in fruit juices, particularly apple
juice and other foods containing or derived from apples. Patulin is a toxic
substance with suspected carcinogenic properties. It is a mycotoxin that
can occur in many mouldy fruits, but the main source of patulin
contamination is apple products. Exposure assessments have shown that the
average exposure of the European population to patulin is well below the
maximum tolerable daily intake (0.4 ́g/kg body weight) established by the
Scientific Committee for Food. Nevertheless, specific groups of consumers,
especially small children, are more exposed since they tend to consume more
apple products. In order to protect public health, it is therefore
necessary to set a maximum level of patulin for those foodstuffs in which
it most commonly occurs. The aim of the Commission measures adopted today
is to limit the presence of patulin in food to the lowest reasonably
achievable level. The first measure is an amendment of Regulation 466/2001,
which sets maximum levels for patulin in a range of foodstuffs mainly
derived from or containing apple products. A review of the maximum levels
of patulin of 50 ́g/kg with the aim of reducing these levels is foreseen.
This review will in particular take into account the implementation of a
Code of Practice foreseen in the following measure. The Commission adopted
a Recommendation, including the Code of Practice, on the prevention and
reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and other beverages
containing apple juice ingredients, to be implemented by all operators in
the processing industry. Thirdly, the Commission adopted a Directive on
sampling methods and methods of analysis for the official control of the
levels of patulin in foodstuffs. The Member States were consulted on these
measures through the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health
and gave a favourable opinion on 17 July 2003.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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