In order to further limit possible risks to the safety of its Food Chain, the European Union decided to reinforce controls on imports of food and feed from certain regions of Japan, where production could be affected by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Member States endorsed, at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH), a Commission proposal to impose special import condition for feed and food originated in Japan. The measures will affect these products originating in or consigned from 12 prefectures of Japan, including the four most affected by the accident after the earthquake and tsunami which devastated Japan on March 2011. All products from these prefectures have to be tested before leaving Japan and will be subject to random testing in the EU. Feed and food products from the remaining 35 prefectures will have to be accompanied by a declaration stating the prefecture of origin and will be randomly tested upon arrival in the EU. The Union will review these measures every month.

In particular, the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) Nº 297/2011 adopted stipulates that each consignment of food or feed from the 12 prefectures has to be accompanied by a declaration attesting that the product does not contain levels of radionuclides that exceed the EU's maximum permitted levels. Radionuclides are radioactive elements and the Commission regulation makes specific reference to iodine-131, caesium-134 and caesium-137.

Furthermore, importers are required to notify the national competent authorities two days before the arrival of each consignment of food and feed from Japan. Feed and food products that were harvested or processed before March 11 are not affected by the provisions of this regulation.

As regards food and feed harvested/produced after March 11, the measures provide that:

• Upon arrival in the EU, the competent authorities of the Border Inspection Posts (BIP) or of the consignment's Designated Point of Entry (DPE) will carry out document and identity checks on all food and feed consignments from Japan.
• Physical checks, including laboratory analysis, will be carried out on at least 10% of the consignments of food or feed coming from 12 prefectures mentioned above. Physical checks will also be carried out on at least 20% of the consignments coming from the remaining 35 prefectures.
• Pending the availability of the test results, products shall be kept under official control for a maximum of five working days. The consignments will be released when the importer will present to the custom authorities the favourable results of the official controls mentioned above.
• Products that are found to exceed the maximum permitted levels shall not be placed on the market and will either be safely disposed of or returned to Japan.