No L 86/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 4. 79 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 2 April 1979 on the marketing of compound feedingstuffs (79/373/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Commuittee (%), Whereas livestock production occupies a very impor- tant position in the agriculture of the European Economic Community ; whereas satisfactory results depend to a large extent on the use of suitable, good- quality feedingstuffs ; Whereas rules governing feedingstuffs are important to an increase in agricultural productivity, in view of the important role played by compound feedingstuffs in this respect ;- Whereas, when rules are being laid down for the marketing of compound feedingstufts, care should be taken to ensure that such feedingstutfs have a favour- able effect on livestock production ; whereas feeding- stuffs must therefore always be wholesome, unadulter- ated and of merchantable quality ; whereas they must neither represent a danger to animal or human health nor be marketed in a manner liable to mislead ; Whereas it is necessary to provide the user with accurate and meaningful information on the compound feedingstuffs at his disposal ; whereas, therefore, at least the levels of analytical constituents having a direct effect on the quality of the feeding- stuffs should be declared ; Whereas, pending the adoption of further provisions, it is necessary, given the existing practices in certain Member States, to provide temporarily for national administrations to require a fuller declaration of the composition of feedingstuffs, with regard to both (1) OJ No C 34, 14. 4. 1971, p. 8. (*) OJ No C 10, 5. z 1972, p. 35. () OJ No C 4, 20. 1. 1972, p. 3. analytical constituents and ingredients ; whereas such declarations may be required only as provided for in this Directive ; Whereas, morecover, all producers of feedingstuffs should be able to show on their labelling certain infor- mation useful to the purchaser; whereas Member States also retain the right to authorize producers to provide further information ; Whereas, pending the adoption of Community provi- sions, Member States may, if their regulations contain these limitations when this Directive is adopted, continue to require that compound feedingstuffs marketed on their territories be manufactured from certain ingredients or be free of certain ingredients; Whereas, for as long as Community methods have not been established, Member States will not be able to require or allow energy values to be indicated unless this is required or permitted in their territories when this Directive is adopted ; Whereas, in order to give adequate protection to purchasers, compound feedingstuffs should normally be marketed in scaled packages or containers; whereas it appears necessary, however, to allow for exceptions to this rule in certain special circumstances to be defined by the Community ; Whereas Member States must ensure that compound feedingstuffs satisfying the provisions of this Directive are not subject within the Community to any marketing restrictions in connection with their marking or packaging; Whereas Member States must make suitable control arrangements to ensure compliance during marketing with the provisions laid down for compound feeding- stuffs ; Whereas, in order to facilitate the implementation of the measures envisaged and, in particular, to amend and supplement them where necessary, provision should be made for a procedure establishing close cooperation between Member States and the Commis- sion within the Standing Committee for Feedingstuffs set up by Decision 70/372/EEC (%); () OJ No L 170, 3. 8. 1970, p. 1.