ABSTRACT

The integration of Poland with the European Community makes the harmonization of Polish legislation necessary. Among numerous Directives, which provisions should be introduced into domestic legislation before Poland enters the European Union, the Directives related to materials and articles intended to contact with food consist a large group. The review and analysis of 17 Directives that appeared up to the end of year 1997 have been done. The list of these Directives is shown in the Table I. The framework Directive 89/109/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs have been comprehensively disscussed together with the specific Directives concerning the following matters:
-symbol which should accompany the materials and articles intendet to contact with food: Directive 80/590/EEC;
-plastics materials: Directive 90/128/EEC with later ammendments provided by the Directives: 90/128/EEC, 93/9/EEC, 95/3/EC and 96/11/EC;
-vinyl chloride monomer (acceptable limit and analytical method): Directives: 78/142/EEC, 80/766/EEC and 81/432/EEC, “ regenerated cellulose film - Directives: 93/10/ECC i 93/111/EEC;
-ceramic articles: Directive 84/500/EEC;
-testing migration of constituens of plastic materials - Directives: 85/572/EEC and 82/711/EEC with later ammendments: Directives: 93/8/EEC, 97/48/EC,
The relevant Polish regulatory provisions concerning the matters related to materials and articles intendet to contact with foodstuffs have also been discussed. The need for harmonization of Polish regulations with the relevant legislation adopted by the Member States of the European Community was emphasized.