The European Parliament is to hear a report this week on a Commission proposal to set up a special procedure for registering and marketing traditional herbal medicines with the aim of ensuring quality and safety standards.

Giuseppe Nistico (EPP-ED, I), will be reporting for the Environment Committee on the proposal that affects millions of EU citizens who use traditional herbal medicines.

The committee is proposing a number of changes to the Commission's text. It rejects a call by some of its Members for homeopathic products to be covered by the directive (2001/83/EC) but it is proposing an amendment allowing Member States to apply their own rules for "traditionally used non-conventional products."

In other amendments, the committee says traditional herbal medicines should be allowed to contain non-herbal ingredients. Consumers should be told on the labelling of any possible side-effects and dangerous interactions with food and other drugs, the committee argues. However, it deletes a requirement that consumers be informed if the efficacy of a product has not been clinically proven, on the grounds that negative information is not needed.

MEPs are also to reiterate a previous demand for the evaluation of herbal medicines to be carried out by the new Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products; they also want this Committee to draw up a detailed classification of herbal medicinal products.

Parliament will debate the codecision procedure (1st reading) on 20 November.