6.12.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 321/1 | (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2375/2001 of 29 November 2001 amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 of 8 February 1993 laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food ('), and in particular Article 2(3) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 (%) stipulates that foodstuffs should not, when placed on the market, contain higher contaminant levels than those specified in that Regulation. (2)  The term ‘dioxins’ covers a group of 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD’) and 135 polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners, of which 17 are of toxicological concern. The most toxic congener is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlordibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and other reputable international organisations as a known human carcinogen. The Scientific Committee for Food (SCF), in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO)), concluded that the carcinogenic effect of dioxins does not occur at levels below a certain threshold. Other adverse effects, such as endometriosis, neurobehavioural and immunosuppressive effects occur at much lower levels and are therefore considered rele- vant for determining a tolerable intake. (3)  Polychlorinated biphenyls, (PCBs’), are a group of 209 different congeners which can be divided into two groups according to their toxicological properties: 12 congeners exhibit toxicological properties to dioxins and () O] L 37, 13.2.1993, p. 1. () O] L 77, 16.3.2001, p. 1. (6) are therefore often termed ‘dioxin-like PCBs’. The other PCBs do not exhibit dioxin-like toxicity but have a different toxicological profile. Each congener of dioxins or dioxin-like PCBs exhibits a different level of toxicity. In order to be able to sum up the toxicity of these different congeners, the concept of toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) has been introduced to facilitate risk assessment and regulatory control. This means that the analytical results relating to all 17 indi- vidual dioxin congeners and to the 12 dioxin-like PCB congeners are expressed in terms of a single quantifiable unit: ‘TCDD toxic equivalent concentration’ (TEQ). Dioxins and PCBs are extremely resistant to chemical and biological degradation and therefore persist in the environment and accumulate in the feed and food chain. More than 90 % of human dioxin exposure derives from foodstuffs. Foodstuffs of animal origin normally contri- bute to approximately 80 % of overall exposure. The dioxin burden in animals derives mainly from feeding- stuffs. Therefore feedingstuffs, and in some cases soil, raise concerns as potential sources of dioxins. The SCF adopted an opinion on the Risk Assessment of Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs in Food on 30 May 2001, an update based on new scientific information which has become available since the adoption of the SCF opinion on this matter on 22 November 2000. The SCF fixed a tolerable weekly intake (TWT) for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs of 14 pg WHO-TEQ/kg body weight. Exposure estimates indicate that a considerable propor- tion of the Community population has a dietary intake in excess of the TWI. Certain population groups in some countries could be at higher risk due to particular dietary habits.