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COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 6 May 1986

addressed to the Member States concerning the coordination of national measures taken in respect of agricultural products as a result of radioactive fallout from the Soviet Union

(86/156/EEC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 155 thereof,

Whereas, following the accident at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in the Soviet Union, radioactive elements were dispersed in the atmosphere and fallout was recorded in the Community;

Whereas, out of a legitimate concern to protect the health of consumers, Member States have adopted national measures to restrict or prohibit the marketing of certain agricultural products;

Whereas, as regards relations with the third countries affected, the Commission has presented the Council with a proposal to suspend imports of agricultural products which are liable to be contaminated and, in the case of meat, will take the necessary measures to that end;

Whereas it is therefore necessary to coordinate the measures taken by the Member States as regards marketing on their own markets, recommending them to observe strict limits applicable to the most sensitive products and to apply to the products which they export the same rules and controls as those applied in the case of marketing on their national markets;

Whereas the assurance thus given by the exporting Member State should enable the importing Member State to waive any other requirement on import and in particular any additional certificate, it being understood that no Member State will apply to products originating in another Member State stricter measures than those which it applies in respect of its own market,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS MEMBER STATES:

1. To ensure that the following maximum tolerances are observed in respect of marketing on their own market:

1.2,3 // // // From // Maximum activity (Bq/kg) // 1.2.3 // // Milk and milk products // Fruit and vegetables // // // // 6 May 1986 // 500 // 350 // 16 May 1986 // 250 // 175 // 26 May 1986 // 125 // 90 // // //

2. To subject products they export to the same limits and, generally speaking, to the same controls regarding radioactivity as those applying to their own market.

3. To recognize controls thus performed by the exporting Member State, doing away with any other requirements on import in this connection, in particular any additional certificates.

4. To inform the other Member States and the Commission without delay of the action taken in response to this recommendation.

Done at Brussels, 6 May 1986.

For the Commission

Frans ANDRIESSEN

Vice-President