L 59/8 Official Journal of the European Union 5.3.2005 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 378/2005 of 4 March 2005 on detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the duties and tasks of the Community Reference Laboratory concerning applications for authorisations of feed additives (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition ('), and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 7(4) and the third subparagraph of Article 21 thereof, Whereas: Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 lays down rules for the placing on the market and use of feed additives in animal nutrition. It provides that any person seeking an author- isation for a feed additive or a new use of a feed additive is to submit an application for authorisation to the Commission in accordance with that Regulation (the application). Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provides for a Community reference laboratory (the CRL) to carry out certain duties and tasks set out in Annex II to that Regu- lation. It also provides that the Joint Research Centre of the Commission is to be the CRL and that it may be assisted by a consortium of national reference labora- tories to perform the duties and tasks set out in that Annex. In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, it is necessary to adopt detailed rules for implementing Annex II to that Regulation, including practical conditions for the duties and tasks of the CRL and to amend that Annex accordingly. In addition, the samples to be provided in the application, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, should meet specific requirements in view of the duties and tasks of the CRL. () O] L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29. () (10) (11) It is necessary to establish a precise timing for the delivery of the evaluation report from the CRL to the European Food Safety Authority (the Authority) in order to ensure that the procedures provided for in Regu- lation (EC) No 1831/2003 can be met. The CRL should be authorised to charge a fee to applicants towards the costs of supporting the duties and tasks of the CRL and the consortium of national reference laboratories. National reference laboratories should be part of the consortium of laboratories assisting the CRL only if they meet specific requirements in order to properly perform the duties and tasks laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Member States should be permitted to apply to the Commission for the desig- nation of such laboratories. In order to ensure the effective functioning of the consortium, it is necessary to appoint a rapporteur laboratory to carry out an initial assessment of the method(s) of analysis of each individual application and to establish clearly the duties and tasks of the rapporteur laboratories and the other laboratories participating in the consortium. It is necessary to establish special procedures for the cases where the data in the application are insufficient concerning testing or validation of the method(s) of analysis. In the interests of stability and efficacy and also in order to make the consortium operational, it is necessary to appoint the national reference laboratories participating in the consortium. The relations between the members of the consortium should be defined by contract between them. In this context the CRL may develop guidance for applicants and for the laboratories participating in the consortium. The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,