Europe may allow pre-authorised slimming claims
functions could be allowed under new European regulations via an
authorization procedure, according to one of the proposed
amendments to the draft law that looks to be gaining support.
The amendment, tabled by Poli Bortone, a member of the UEN, is to article 11 of the proposed regulation on health and nutrition claims for the European Union, an article that has caused significant debate among European ministers.
The original draft from the European Commission said that all claims referring to slimming benefits, psychological function and wellbeing should be banned. It would also ban any reference to medical experts or health organizations by way of product endorsement.
However Bortone has proposed that these claims should be allowed if manufacturers request an authorization from the European authorities prior to introducing the relevant products to market.
"Even the Commission said during a recent meeting that she had improved this article. The Council [which meets separately] also appears to support this amendment so we can already begin to see what this article will look like," said Miguel Da Silva from the European Advisory Services (EAS), who has been present at the European parliament environment committee's recent meetings on health claims.
The environment committee, one of two leading committees on this draft regulation, will vote on some 350 amendments on 21 April. It will also discuss those received from the industry committee, which voted last week to effectively remove all articles that would hinder industry from making health claims.
These include articles four (on nutrient profiles), 11, 12 and 14-17 (the authorization procedure).
"This was a political statement to say 'we don't like this proposal'," believes da Silva, adding that the environment committee is nevertheless expected to reach a compromise on these articles.
"We know they are working on compromises but the most interesting part goes on behind closed doors," he told NutraIngredients.com.
The internal market committee, which will also submit its amendments to the plenary along with those from the environment committee, votes next month. The final votes of these two committees will offer a major insight into the shape the regulation will take.
