The Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2006 Statutory Instrument 2006 No. 1179 were made on 24/4/06, and come fully into force on 20 May 2007. These Regulations apply to ceramic articles which are intended to come into contact with food. They set limits on the amount of lead and cadmium which may be transferred from such articles, together with requirements for testing for such transfer (migration), and require ceramic articles to be accompanied at the marketing stages by certificates of compliance. The Regulations implement Council Directive 84/500/EEC on ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs as amended by Commission Directive 2005/312/EC regarding a declaration of compliance and performance criteria of the analytical method for ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. The former Directive was previously implemented by the Ceramic Ware (Safety) Regulations 1988 which these Regulations revoke in respect of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The 2005 Directive introduces new provisions that make it easier for enforcement authorities and distributors to check that ceramic articles intended to come into contact with food comply with the migration limits for cadmium and lead that were set in the 1984 Directive. The new provisions, implemented in England by these new Regulations, will facilitate quicker and easier investigation by enforcement authorities by requiring manufacturers and importers into the Community to show on request documentation demonstrating compliance. They will also be required to generate a declaration of compliance for the products they place on the market which must thereafter accompany the product through to the retail stage. However, the declaration is not intended for consumers and so does not call for any changes to labelling or packaging. A specific prohibition on manufacturing and importing non-compliant products is also introduced. All these provisions will apply from 20 May 2007. Other provisions will apply from 20 May 2006, including the prohibition on placing non-compliant products on the market and the requirement that products which comply with the Directive's provisions be allowed to trade freely. The 1988 Regulations will be revoked across the UK also from 20 May 2006.
