L 32/34 Official Journal of the European Union 4.2.2006 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 199/2006 of 3 February 2006 amending Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs as regards dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 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, Whereas: Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 (3) sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. ‘Dioxins’ as referred to in this Regulation cover a group of 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin  (PCDD) congeners and 135 polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners, of which 17 are of toxicological concern. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 different congeners which can be divided into two groups according to their toxicological properties: a small number exhibit toxicological properties similar to dioxins and are therefore often termed ‘dioxin-like PCBs. The majority 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 the indi- vidual dioxin and dioxin-like PCB congeners of toxico- logical concern are expressed in terms of a quantifiable unit, namely the ‘TCDD toxic equivalent’ (TEQ). () OJ L 37,13.2.1993, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (O] L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1). () OJ L 77,16.3.2001, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) 1822/2005 (OJ L 293, 9.11.2005, p. 11). (4 On 30 May 2001 the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) adopted an Opinion on the Risk Assessment of Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs in Food, updating its Opinion of 22 November 2000 on this subject on the basis of new scientific information that had become available since the latter’s adoption (3). The SCF fixed a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 14 pg WHO-TEQ/kg body weight for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. Exposure estimates indicate that a considerable proportion of the Community population have a dietary intake in excess of the TWIL Certain population groups in some countries could be at higher risk owing to particular dietary habits. (5)  From a toxicological point of view, any level set should apply to both dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, but in 2001 maximum levels were set for dioxins only and not for dioxin-like PCBs, given the very limited data available at that time on the prevalence of dioxin-like PCBs. In the meantime, however, more data on the presence of dioxin-like PCBs have become available. (6)  According to Regulation (EC) No 466/2001, the Commission was to review the provisions on dioxins in the light of new data on the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, in particular with a view to the inclusion of dioxin-like PCBs in the levels to be set. 7y All operators in the food and feed chain must continue to make all possible efforts and to do all that is necessary to limit the dioxins and PCBs present in feed and food. Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 accordingly provides that the maximum levels applicable should be further reviewed by 31 December 2006 at the latest with the aim of significantly reducing the maximum levels and possibly laying down maximum levels for other food- stuffs. Given the time necessary to obtain sufficient monitoring data to determine such significantly lower levels, that time-limit should be extended. (}) Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Risk Assessment of Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs in Food adopted on 30 May 2001 — Update based on new scientific information available since the adoption of the SCF opinion of 22 November 2000 (http:/[europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scffout90_en.pdf).