(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 substances Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. were authorised without a time limit in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC as feed additives for all animal species. Those substances were subsequently entered in the Register of Feed Additives as existing products, 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 Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. as feed additives for all animal species, requesting the additives 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 substances concerned to be authorised for use also 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 these additives in water for drinking should not be allowed.

(5)

The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinions of 17 September 2024 (3) , (4) that Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams is safe up to the use level of 14 mg/kg complete feed for all animal species, and that lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. is safe at certain maximum concentrations further specified for each species. It also found that the use of Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. under the proposed conditions of use is safe for the consumers and the environment. The Authority concluded that Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. should be considered as irritants to skin and eyes, and as dermal and respiratory sensitisers. The Authority further concluded that since the oil of the leaves of Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and the oil of flowering tops of Lavandula angustifolia Mill 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 additives in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(6)

In view of the above, the Commission considers that Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. satisfy the conditions provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Accordingly, the use of those substances should be authorised as specified in the Annex to this Regulation. In addition, the Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should be taken to prevent adverse effects on the health of the users of the additives.

(7)

The Commission considers that safety reasons do not require the setting of maximum levels for Spanish sage essential oil from Salvia officinalis ssp. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Gams and lavender essential oil from Lavandula angustifolia Mill. In order to allow better control, the recommended maximum content should be indicated on the label of the feed additives. Where the recommended maximum content is exceeded, certain information should be indicated on the label of the premixtures concerned.

(8)

Since safety reasons do not require the immediate application of the modifications to the conditions of authorisation of the substances 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.

(9)

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