Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (c. 178)

CHAPTER IV U.K. RAPID ALERT SYSTEM, CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND EMERGENCIES

SECTION 2 U.K. EMERGENCIES

Article 53 U.K. Emergency measures for food and feed of Community origin or imported from a third country

1. Where it is evident that food or feed originating in the Community or imported from a third country is likely to constitute a serious risk to human health, animal health or the environment, and that such risk cannot be contained satisfactorily by means of measures taken by the Member State(s) concerned, the Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 58(2) on its own initiative or at the request of a Member State, shall immediately adopt one or more of the following measures, depending on the gravity of the situation:

(a) in the case of food or feed of Community origin:

(i)

suspension of the placing on the market or use of the food in question;

(ii)

suspension of the placing on the market or use of the feed in question;

(iii)

laying down special conditions for the food or feed in question;

(iv)

any other appropriate interim measure;

(b) in the case of food or feed imported from a third country:

(i)

suspension of imports of the food or feed in question from all or part of the third country concerned and, where applicable, from the third country of transit;

(ii)

laying down special conditions for the food or feed in question from all or part of the third country concerned;

(iii)

any other appropriate interim measure.

2. However, in eMERGENCIES, the Commission may provisionally adopt the measures referred to in paragraph 1 after consulting the Member State(s) concerned and informing the other Member States.

As soon as possible, and at most within 10 working days, the measures taken shall be confirmed, amended, revoked or extended in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 58(2), and the reasons for the Commission's decision shall be made public without delay.