Food Law News - EU - 2001

FSA Scotland Letter, 22 February 2001

PARNUTS - Proposed Directive on Food Supplements

The letter provides an update on further discussions in Brussels. A meeting of Member States' Attaches was held on 16th February. The main points which emerged in the discussions were as follows:

• There was broad agreement to extend the scope of the proposal to all food supplements, although the compositional requirements would only apply to vitamins and minerals. My letter of 24 January refers.
• The text of Article 7 continues to be under discussion; to allow information to be given about the need for supplementation of specific groups (e.g. folic acid for peri-conceptual women) where this is scientifically proven. The Presidency will develop a draft text for discussion at the next meeting.
• Minor amendments to Article 4(4) were proposed to improve the text, and to meet some Member States' desire for early development of proposals to control other categories of ingredients. The time period for the Commission to bring forward proposals was shortened to 4 years.
• Many Member States are continuing to press for amendments to Article 5 to place greater emphasis on nutritional need in setting maximum limits for vitamin and minerals, but no amendments to the text were accepted.
• New text for Article 6 to require labels to carry an additional warning statement to keep products out of reach of children is under discussion

No date has been set for the next meeting although it is likely to be held very early in March. The issues for discussion will include: the proposed amendments to Recitals 6, 6a and 11 ; Article 5; the Annexes to the directive; and the European Parliament's proposals for amendments to the Commission's text.