29.3.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 88/1 (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is obligatory) REGULATIONS COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 273/2008 of 5 March 2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 as regards methods for the analysis and quality evaluation of milk and milk products THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in milk and milk products (!), and in particular Articles 10 and 15 and Articles 26(3), 29(1) and 31(4) thereof, International), which are regularly updated by those organisations. In some cases a Community reference method is laid down, while in other cases no reference method is specified in the Community rules. In order to ensure that reference methods are uniformly applied, a list of reference methods should be drawn up and provision should be made for the Commission to adapt the list where necessary. (4)  The use of routine methods should not be ruled out. Mini- mal conditions for using them should therefore be Whereas: specified. (1)~ Commission Regulation (EC) No 213/2001 (%) lays down (5)  Common procedures should also be established to ensure detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation uniform practice in evaluating the results of analyses, in (EC) No 1255/1999 as regards methods for the analysis sensory evaluation of the products concerned and in and quality evaluation of milk and milk products. In the re-examining results which have been disputed. light of technical developments in the field of analytical methodology further substantial changes need to be made. In the interest of clarity and efficiency and given the num- (6) For some analyses, there are currently no internationally ber and technical nature of the amendments, Regulation accepted reference methods which have been validated and (EC) No 213/2001 should be repealed and replaced by a thus no information is available on the between- new regulation. laboratory-variation of analytical results. Community methods should therefore be laid down, which have been . . . . validated according to internationally established rules and (2)  The composition and quality requirements for milk and : . . : should be applied as reference methods. milk products laid down under the arrangements provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 must be verified to ensure that they are strictly complied with. (7 Commission Regulation (EC) No 1898/2005 (3) lays down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) (3)  The reference methods for such verifications are often No 12551999 as regards measures for the disposal of methods published by international organisations such as the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the International Dairy Federation (IDF), the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the Scientific Association dedicated to the analytical Excellence (AOAC () OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 48. Regulation as last amended by Regula- cream, butter and concentrated butter on the Community market and provides for the tracing of cream, butter and concentrated butter in certain circumstances in order to ensure the correct end use of these products. Tracing is important for the proper functioning of the scheme. In order to ensure that operators participating in it receive equal treatment, common methods should be established for determining some of these tracers. tion (EC) No 1152/2007 (O] L 258, 4.10.2007, p. 3). Regulation (EC) No 1255/1999 will be replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1) as from 1 July 2008. @ OJL 37,7.2.2001, p. 1. (®) OJ L 308, 25.11.2005, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regula- tion (EC) No 1546/2007 (O] L 337, 21.12.2007, p. 68).