European Union

EC report notes market and enforcement issues arising from lack of harmonisation in the EU

EC supplements report: Need greater harmony in internet age

By Shane STARLING

A European Commission report has concluded the EU food supplements market remains fragmented but member state actions in areas like botanicals and maximum levels for some vitamins and minerals were worthy of replication, especially as internet trading...

Chondroitin needs pharma-style control: Review

Chondroitin needs pharma-style control: Review

By Shane STARLING

Joint health nutrient chondroitin varies greatly in safety and efficacy depending on its source and therefore needs greater regulation and standardisation, Canadian and Spanish researchers have said.

EU copper intakes up for review

EU copper intakes up for review

By Shane STARLING

Stakeholders have until August 6 2015 to submit comments to EFSA on draft dietary reference values (DRVs) for copper in the European Union.

Xavier Prats Monne takes on the role from Paola Testori Coggi who resigned following a 'sober' disciplinary inquiry

Ex-education director takes DG SANTE top spot

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Xavier Prats Monne is to become the new general director of the European Commission’s health and food safety unit, DG SANTE, a position he takes on after the resignation of Paola Testori Coggi.

'Scare-mongering' reports have over emphasised the dangers of quitting the EU

Food firms ‘to face higher costs after EU exit’

By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers would face higher long-term costs if Britain quits the EU, but the move would have less impact on business than some “scare-mongering” reports suggest.

The proposal would make it easier to introduce new foods into Europe that have a safe history of consumption elsewhere

Council approves final compromise text on novel foods

By Caroline SCOTT-THOMAS

A European Council committee has rejected a proposal that would have allowed the European Parliament the right to veto novel foods approvals – saying this would contradict the law’s purpose to simplify authorisation.

Dutch trade group regrets that EU Court has not 'honoured' its serious and thoughtful request to review health claims

European court throws out botanicals complaint

Trade groups lose EU court battle against health claim regulation

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has rejected a joint plea from the UK Health Food Manufacturers' Association (HFMA) and the Dutch NPN for the permitted health claims list regulation to be annulled.

The problem with botanicals is just a matter of colliding cultures, industry interests and of process, says managing director for Italian-based Hylobates Consulting

It's time to end EU’s botanical Babel, says expert

By Luca Bucchini, Hylobates Consulting managing director

The EU is old enough and ugly enough to get itself out of its botanical rut, so what's the hold up? Dr Luca Bucchini, managing director of Hylobates Consulting, asks.

Norway prepares for regulation on 'other substances' in food supplements

Norway looks at 44 unregulated 'other substances'

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) has asked its scientific committee to assess the safety of 'other substances' found on the Norwegian market - something it says is "largely unregulated" at EU level.

BEUC calls for caffeine claim ban following EFSA opinion

BEUC calls for caffeine claim ban following EFSA opinion

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

With the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) caffeine safety opinion finally published yesterday, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has called now for the ‘obvious conclusions’ to be drawn.

Croatian Chamber of Economy:

Dispatches from vitafoods europe 2015

Croatian supplements face challenges following EU membership

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Black market crack downs, neighbourhood kudos and moving goal posts - Croatia's supplement industry has seen big changes since it became a member of the European Union in July 2013.

Heated exchange: “This draft opinion has not reviewed a single study that was submitted…it really should not be published in its current form,

BASF-Stepan CLA claim rejection fall-out

EFSA: Only national bodies can withdraw health claim applications

By Shane STARLING

The EU’s central science agency has clarified health claim procedures after a furore over a CLA weight management submission BASF and Stepan Lipid Nutrition unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw from the system earlier this year.

Belgium affirms BELFRIT as basis of herbal law and wants other EU member states to follow suit

Belgium writes BELFRIT botanical list into law

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Belgium has notified the European Commission of a draft decree replacing its current lists of botanicals with those approved under BELFRIT – bringing the number of plants from about 645 to 1019 and adding many new maximum levels and mandatory warnings.

IPA Europe is focused on winning EU probiotic health claims

“The new EC has spoken of better regulation and growth so we trust them to consider our position and argumentation."

IPA gathers forces in Brussels; seeks EC ear

By Shane STARLING

The just-formed European iteration of the International Probiotics Association (IPA) has met for the first time at its new Brussels base with Danone, Dupont-Danisco, Chr Hansen, Yakult, Probi and Lallemand all in attendance.

The organisation wants any pesticides with evidence of harm to bees taken off the shelves

Campaigners win case against Bayer over pesticide bee claims

By Joyeeta Basu

Friends of the Earth Germany has said it will step up its fight to protect bees after German chemical giant Bayer CropScience failed to sue it in court for claiming that a pesticide manufactured by the company could harm bees.

EU harmonisation needed to break botanical deadlock

Special edition: Botanicals

What will it take to break the botanicals deadlock?

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Two pending European Courts of Justice (ECJ) cases and the prospect of a unified pan-EU list of safe botanicals hold the potential to break the current deadlock around botanicals, according to experts. 

6 years of hurt: Probiotic heavyweights debate the EU’s health claim blockade

Yakult at Probiota 2015: “We want to be clear that before we invest we need to have some dialogue with EFSA...”

6 years of hurt: Probiotic heavyweights debate the EU’s health claim blockade

By Shane STARLING

Yakult and leading academics expressed frustration at what they see as unfair and opaque scientific requirements around probiotic health claims in the European Union – but how much is industry to blame and could social media be a data-sharing saviour?

Carine Lambert:

"The EU is the only region in the world where the use of the term ‘probiotic’ is banned.”

Probiotic sector chief: ‘I am ashamed how the EU is dealing with this’

By Shane STARLING

The secretary general of a leading probiotic association has launched a stinging attack on the European Union health claims regime she said is discriminatory, confusing and shameful.