Last week, Euro-MPs adopted a draft report for new rules on novel foods. The responsible committee of the Parliament will vote on the regulation on 4 May 2010.
On 29 March 2010, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted Draft Recommendation (for second reading) on the Council position at first reading for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on novel foods.
The initial legislative document (COM(2007)0872) was submitted by the European Commission on 14.01.2008. Some of the grounds outlined in the propasal are the following:
- “As part of the framework to improve and bring coherence to Community legislation from “farm to table” the Commission announced in the White Paper on Food Safety its intentions to examine the application of the novel food legislation and to make the necessary adaptations to the existing legislation in the light of the conclusions of the report on the implementation of the Regulation (EC) No 258/97 on novel foods and novel ingredients (Actions 14 and 51) and in accordance with the regulatory framework of Directive 90/220/EEC on GMO’s. This was partly done by adopting the Regulation (EC) on 1829/2003 on GM food and feed. The novel food Regulation needs now to be clarified after removal of GM food from the scope.”
- “Stakeholder consultations in 2002 on a Commission discussion paper and subsequent evaluation underlined the need to develop and update the Regulation.”
- “In accordance with these commitments, this proposal aims to ensure food safety, protect human health and secure the functioning of the internal market for food. In order to do this, it aims to streamline the authorisation procedure, develop a more adjusted safety assessment system for traditional food from third countries, which is considered as novel food under the current Regulation, and clarify the definition of novel food, including new technologies with an impact on food, and the scope of the novel food Regulation. Further, there is a need to improve the efficiency, transparency and application of the authorisation system, which also contributes to better implementation of the Regulation and to empower consumers by informing them about food. In addition, legal clarity should be achieved by making necessary changes and updating the legislation.”
Draft European Parliament Legislative Resolution on the Council position at first reading for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on novel foods, amending Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 258/97 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2001
Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 establishing a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2001 of 20 September 2001 laying down detailed rules for making certain information available to the public and for the protection of information submitted pursuant to European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 258/97
Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients
Source: Eur-Lex
