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| What’s happening in EC food legislation? |
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I am inclined to answer ‘a lot, too much?’. Let me explain. The European Union is becoming more obsessed with food law.
The Commission generates more demanding legislation than any of our global neighbours including the USA, making the global supply chain a particularly difficult issue to handle.
Time tables have been set - key drivers being traceability, allergen labelling, novel foods, GMO labelling, nutrition labelling and nutrition and health claims. So a lot is changing in terms of requirements for the labelling, presentation and advertising of food(stuffs) intended for the final consumer, restaurants, hospitals, canteens and other similar ‘mass caterers’.
Businesses within the food industry are going to great lengths to meet the latest standards in food regulations, not only for their interest but also to meet the needs of their customers. However, industry also proverbially has its head in its hands. With much of the new legislation it is difficult to see the wood from the trees.
For example, new legislation for GMO and allergen labelling has been published without clear guidelines, posing the problem of interpretation not only between companies, but also between Member States. In the case of the GMO legislation, it is still not clear what is subject to traceability, therefore auditing cannot effectively be implemented at this stage.
Food companies are in urgent need of clear guidelines instead of even more legislation. To follow the principal of free trade environments within the EU, these guidelines should come from the European Commission. So there is still a considerable way to go.
Jean Feord
Business Manager Legislation Leatherhead Food International <<< back
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