The beginning of a new era? An historic moment? Or a plain old
compromise? All have been used to describe yesterday's agreement by
EU farm ministers to approve hotly disputed reforms to the Common
Agricultural Policy.
A global agreement to protect biodiversity and human health moved
one step further on Friday when Environment Ministers in the EU
formally adopted the regulation on the trans-boundary movements of
genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
US plant extract company Unigen Pharmaceuticals has signed new
distribution agreements with six partners in Europe and Latin
America, expanding its sales presence in international markets.
The Danish Consumer Council has given a damning indictment of
Danisco's fat replacement product Salatrim, prompting the
ingredients group to issue a statement reiterating its confidence
in the product.
Danish ingredients company Danisco will expand its flavour creation
centres in The Netherlands and Belgium as part of the restructuring
of the flavour research and development facilities to improve
capabilities and efficiency.
Companies marketing ingredients for dietary supplements in Europe
may need to act quickly to ensure their products are included in
new EU regulations coming into force in July 2005. CRN's John
Hathcock and James Roza of Now Foods...
The confrontation between Europe and the United States over
genetically modified foods shifted up a gear this week when the US
President George. W. Bush accused Europe of impeding efforts to
fight world famine because of its trade...
Following a proposal from the European Commission to allow the use
of two new intense sweeteners - sucralose and an
aspartame-acesulfame - the European Competitiveness Council gave
the all clear on Monday, reaching a political agreement...
With impeccable timing in light of the US move earlier this week to
file a case with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the EU ban
on biotech foods, a recent report from Washington, DC, based
International Food Information Council...
So, they went ahead and did it anyway. Despite imminent changes to
the European legislation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
re-iterated by EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy just this week,
the US has gone ahead and filed...
While the European consumer continues to display a distinct
reticence regarding irradiated food products, the US is forging
ahead with the announcement this week from a leading food supplier
that it has introduced a new product category...
The European Parliament yesterday voted with an overwhelming
majority for a permanent ban on the use of the food additive E425,
otherwise known as konjac, in jelly confectionery.
The European Commission continues to crack down on unfair
competition and punish the illegal activities with the news this
week that is has fined three companies involved in a food flavour
enhancers (nucleotides) cartel.
One of the toughest legislations in the world on genetically
modified organisms came into force in Europe on Thursday with a new
EU Directive that strengthens 10-year-old rules on testing and
licensing GMOs used as crops or ingredients.
Results from a European Commission report on the use and labelling
of food irradiation finds that 42 per cent of certain dietary
supplements in the UK have been illegally treated with the
technology.
The controversial topic of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in
Europe formed the centrepiece for a reception this week in Brussels
hosted by the Confederation of food and drink industries in the EU.
Overiding sentiment? Although...
Raymond O'Rourke, food lawyer at Mason Hayes & Curran in
Dublin, Ireland. O'Rourke, the author of 'European Food
Law', while generally positive about the European Food Safety
Authority, shared his concerns...
The European Commission on Friday cleared the proposed acquisition
of French-based food company Cereol by US company Bunge. The move
shoots Bunge ahead of US agribusiness giant Cargill into the top
slot as the world's largest...
Europeans could pay more for everything from toys to heavy
machinery if Brussels follows through on a threat to impose
sanctions in a long-running trade spat with Washington, a US trade
official said on Friday.
The core task of the new European Food Safety Authority, still in
its infancy and as yet without a permanent chief or home, will be
to provide independent scientific advice in Europe on all matters
with a direct or indirect impact...
Signs that the functional food market is gaining ground were
revealed this week when the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA)
announced it is considering a 'novel food' application by a food
manufacturer to market 'milk and...
The European Commission is asking Austria to remove its ban on the
distance selling of food supplements as it opposes legislation of
free trade in the community.
Consumers for Health Choice, a natural products lobby group with a
number of high profile supporters, claims the Medicines Control
Agency has deliberately misled ministers about the impact of the EU
herbal products directive.
German fine chemicals group Degussa has been fined €118 million by
the European Commission after it was found guilty of taking part in
a price fixing cartel relating to amino acids used in animal
fodder. Degussa said it would contest...
In adopting the new EU Directive on Food Supplements last week the
European Parliament laid the foundations for a period of developing
legislative stability for companies involved in food and health
ingredients. Considered by some...
The European Commission has issued a strong statement denouncing
claims in many UK newspapers yesterday that the proposed new rules
for vitamin supplements would push thousands of companies out of
business.
Tomorrow will see the second reading of the European Union's draft
proposals for a directive on food supplements, sparking a new round
of condemnation from supplement manufacturers and retailers across
the Community.
The European Commission has unveiled a sweeping reform of food
safety legislation, giving itself more powers to take emergency
steps in crises such as the dioxin poisoning scare.
Southern Europe accounts for 39 per cent of the organic farmland in
the European Union yet its organic meat and dairy sector is the
most underdeveloped in Europe, according to recent research by
Organic Monitor.
The UK Food Standards Agency said it has received further results
of tests on Chinese and blended honey on sale in the UK, and has
issued a recall of the products affected.
Tax breaks would be an efficient method of boosting sales of
organic products in the EU and to help them compete with
conventionally produced products. This was the conclusion of a
study commissioned by the European Environmental...
Supplies of organic milk in southern Europe fall far short of
current levels of demand, and this is hindering growth in the
organic dairy market there.
The European Commission has taken the Italian authorities to the
European Court of Justice over its regulations governing sports
nutrition products. The Commission said that the Italian rules area
barrier to free trade within the...
The UK Food Standards Agency has tested batches of Chinese and
blended honey following concerns about a lack of control on the use
of veterinary drugs in China. The agency said that seven out of 15
samples tested positive for an illegal...
European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne
has expressed his concern about the wide variations in measures to
combat E.coli contamination between EU Member States.
La Leva di Archimede, a consumer association which fights to
protect freedom of choice with particular emphasis on health
matters and nutrition, is protesting to MEPs about proposed changes
to the rules governing food supplement sales...
European Union agriculture ministers have given the go-ahead for
the creation of a Union-wide food safety agency, but the exact
location of the body has yet to be decided.
The European Commission is to propose a specific registration
procedure for herbal medicinal products with a long-standing
traditional use in a bid to improve quality checks and market
surveillance.
German fine chemicals company BASF AG does not know when the
European Commission will make a decision based on its investigation
into vitamin price fixing.
The US-based Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology announced
this week that it is to host a debate on issues facing Europe and
the US over genetically modified food.
Fears over genetically modified foods may prevail in the minds of
the European consumer but recent research from the European
Commission suggests that they are as safe as their non-gmo
neighbours, and even safer.
The European Commission this week gave the go-ahead for
German-based chemical company Degussa AG to acquire sole control of
the British company Laporte PLC.
