EHPM, ERNA plan vitamin and mineral level conference
next stage of setting maximum vitamin and mineral levels in
supplements and fortified foods under EU law, with a conference
planned by EHPM in November.
In June the EC published a discussion document raising certain questions about the levels and presenting in its annexes several proposals for how the levels may be set.
A deadline of September 30 has been set for receipt of comments, and the conference on November 24 aims to be "the first with all stakeholders, regulators and scientists, to see how we can arrive at a consensus," EHPM (European Federation of Associations of Health Product Manufacturers) director of regulatory affairs Lorène Courrège told NutraIngredients.com.
She said that EU officials will be present at the conference, organised by the EHPM and the European Responsible Nutrition Alliance (ERNA) and national regulators specialising in supplement, vitamin and mineral issues will be invited - as well as stakeholders and regulators.
The aim is to "to provide a forum for discussion… to progress towards a common understanding of how to set such levels and identify the remaining challenges".
Maximum levels for vitamins and minerals has been on the table for several years, forming part of two pieces of European legislation: the 2002 Food Supplements Directive; and the EU regulation on fortified foods that is currently making its way through the rule-making process.
The normal next step, once the Commission has received comments on the discussion document, would be to make a proposal that would then be discussed with member states. This would not need to go through parliament, so the process will be quicker than the passing of the initial directive.
According to Courrège, discussions over the levels are only in their early stages, apart from a few nations that have already started work in this area.
"Not many have stated their positions for negotiations yet," she said.
The board of the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) last year stated that it would like to see a two-tier system that would allow individual nations to keep higher dose products on the market so long as they carried advisory labels.
The FSA held the first of two meetings with stakeholders on the discussion document on July 25, with another planned for September 4.
A spokesperson for the agency told NutraIngredients.com that the board's position was put forward in the absence of a proposal from the European commission.
While there is on update on its position following the first meeting, the FSA will be drafting some answers to the EC's questions.
The spokesperson added that when the Commission publishes its proposals the FSA Board will have an opportunity to consider and discuss them.
"The basis of the Agency's policy in relation to food supplements remains safety and consumer choice, and to seek a proportionate evidence-based approach to setting maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements," she said.
Some questions were raised by the UK lobby groups and politicians as to why the FSA's opinion was not included in the annexes of the documents - while a much stricter paper from Germany was.
Courrège said that the German paper is only from an institute and is a risk assessment position, not a position from the government per se.
She stressed: "The discussion document gave examples of models released, from both countries and industry. It does not give any indication of what the Commission's decision will be."
However given the current situation in Europe and the wild differences between proposals, she expects that a good deal of debate is yet to come.
"But there are some good principals built into the directive, which must be taken into account and will be critical to the decision-making," she said.
