27.7.2013   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 202/17

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

(2)

Ammonium chloride was authorised in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC as a feed additive, without a time limit, for use on cats and dogs and with a time limit for all pets with the exception of cats and dogs by Commission Directive 86/525/EEC (3). That additive was subsequently entered in the Register of feed additives as an existing product, in accordance with Article 10(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(3)

In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 in conjunction with Article 7 of that Regulation, an application was submitted for the re-evaluation of ammonium chloride as a feed additive for cats and dogs and, in accordance with Article 7 of that Regulation, for a new use for ruminants, requesting that additive to be classified in the additive category ‘technological additives’. That application was accompanied by the particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(4)

The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinion of 24 May 2012 (4) that, under the proposed conditions of use, the ammonium chloride does not have an adverse effect on animal health, human health or the environment. It recognised that the ammonium chloride is a potent urinary acidifier and a supplementation of feed for ruminants, cats and dogs results in a decrease of the urinary pH. 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 additive in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(5)

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

(6)

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.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,