Globalmeatnews.com spoke to director of the Food and Veterinary Office at the European Commission, Michael Scannell, about the proposed changes to EU food controls, which could see all food businesses asked to front costs for official inspections.
Food processors could face soaring costs for official inspections as a consequence of the European Commission’s (EC’s) attempt to standardise ‘official controls’ governing food safety regulation across the EU.
European food industry trade body FoodDrinkEurope has welcomed formal negotiations between the European Union and the United States on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), announced at the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland.
The European Commission has released a fourth round of out-of-quota sugar for the current marketing year at reduced levies in a bid to boost EU supplies as prices soar above world levels.
The European Food Safety Authority failed to take adequate measures to prevent conflict of interests arising from a major 'revolving doors' case in 2008, according to a final EU Ombudsman ruling on the case.
A group of European health organisations has urged European Commission president José Manuel Barroso to issue a proposal on nutrient profiling as part of a wider EU goal to reduce premature deaths.
Now that the dust has settled on the health claims submission process we should all be very clear on the rules of engagement. Well kind of, says Nigel Baldwin, chief consultant in Intertek’s European office.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have come under the spotlight once again with the main themes being regulation, more research and actions based on the precautionary principle.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has said there are still a number of “crucial” issues to be addressed in order to ensure a workable CAP for Northern Ireland.
The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to reassess the safety of phosphates as food additives, after researchers suggested excessive phosphate consumption could be damaging to health.
The EU’s sugar quota fell three million metric tons short of demand in 2012 leading to an 11% price hike, but the deficit is not expected to increase due to stagnant demand for sugar-based foods and health concerns, according to market analysts Euromonitor...
The European Parliament (EP) has backed budget cuts to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) agreed last month by European Union (EU) heads of government and the move is expected to have a negative impact on EU livestock farmers.
The European Parliament has backed a proposal to list endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) as “substances of very high concern” under the REACH legislation.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has issued guidance for industry on food allergen labelling to help companies comply with a new EU law, in collaboration with the UK’s Food and Drink Federation.
On the day 27 associations issued a joint open letter imploring the EU to keep to its word and scrap widely despised sugar quotas across the bloc in 2015 - not 2020 as the sugar industry wants - Tate & Lyle Sugars jumped into the debate by saying...
Charging the private sector for European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) work will not generate enough cash and compromise the agency’s independence, a European Commission working group has found.
The European Sugar Users Association (CIUS) has criticised the European Commission’s out-of-quota sugar measures which it claims have left sugar users unable to plan ahead.
A Spanish study has called for European rules on mercury and arsenic in infant cereal in light of high - in some cases ‘risk’ - levels found, particularly in organic and gluten-free products.
A motion from the European Parliament’s health committee has called on the European Commission to introduce tough new controls, restricting the availability of new third- and fourth-generation antibiotics to the livestock sector.
The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) annual update report on acrylamide levels in foods does not reveal any considerable change in the presence of the possible carcinogen in foods.
The EU must not impose “irresponsible” limits on the amount of crop-based biofuels it produces as it is likely to put animal feed supplies at risk and is based on a flawed impact assessment, a European farming co-operative has warned.
Tate & Lyle Sugars is seeking 75 million euros in damages from the European Commission after what it claims to be the ‘mismanagement’ of the European sugar market.
The EU Sugar Users Association (CIUS) has welcomed debate on sugar reform scheduled in the European Parliament on Monday, ahead of an EU vote on whether to abolish sugar quotas under Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.
The EU sugar industry benefits from a “quasi monopoly” situation as a result of the current EU sugar quota system, according to the European Starch Industry Association, Association de Amidonniers et Feculiers (AAF).
The European Food Safety Authority produced 658 scientific opinions, reports, guidance documents and statements ranging from health claim opinions to animal safety assessments to sweeteners and bisphenol A missives.
Trade groups fear administration fees for services proposed by the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) could hit small to medium-sized food manufacturers and supplement firms hard.
Pressure groups Friends of the Earth (FoE) and GM Freeze have stepped up their campaign to derail EU safety guidelines for introducing genetically modified (GM) animals into Europe.
Regulation from the EU should encourage, not hinder innovation from the confectionery industry, according to the Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries (CAOBISCO).
Europe faces significant challenges when exporting animal-derived products, despite having some of the world’s highest standards in animal health, a representative of the EU Commission has warned.
Brazil and the European Union have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a dialogue on agriculture following a conference on sustainable and inclusive agriculture held alongside the Rio+20 Summit of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable...
Confectioners in Europe are under threat from an MEP’s report proposing to postpone abolishing EU sugar quotas until 2020, according to industry bodies whose members include Mars, Nestlé, Kraft and Ferrero.
German colours specialist, Sensient, has an aluminium-free colour range that it says will plug demands defined by the impending EU law to reduce aluminium levels in foods.
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has given food packagers the go-ahead for use of sodium borohydride and palladium acetate after establishing they present “no safety concerns.”
Dispatches from the 6th Nutrition & Lifestyle conference in Brussels
A 6-year project tackling obesity and other diet and physical activity-related health issues across the European Union has spawned 300 individual positive actions by government, commercial and other actors – and is not set to wind up until next year.
A Brussels-based initiative on food information transparency using smart phone technology is gaining momentum with a broad stakeholder forum involving EU regulators, retailers and food manufacturers meeting on key project priorities yesterday.
Cases of Campylobacter infection in humans across the EU have increased year-on-year since 2005 – increasing the call for the implementation of new processing control measures.
Irish MEP Marian Harkin has become one of the most vocal European parliamentary opponents of the interpretation and application of the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR), and she was not appeased by EC and EFSA statements at a specially...
The availability of data from new migration tests meant that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has for the first time given approval to an additive in plastics for use in food contact materials.
The added bureaucracy of legal limits for acrylamide in foods is preventable as industry efforts to reduce levels have been sufficient, says the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
The recent veto of 'percentage less' claims by MEPs is indicative of a lack of trust in the food industry, said the UK trade group, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which is intent on continuing to push for such amendments to the health...
The European Parliament has blocked a proposal to amend food labelling laws that would have allowed new 'percentage less' claims on nutrition content, such as sugar, salt and fat - a move the food industry says is a bitter pill for the food...
The European Union (EU) is launching a new strategy for animal welfare, as it says the current uniform approach has caused varying levels of compliance across member states that has not guaranteed the real welfare of animals, and has caused economic and...
Ingredients firm Wild has launched a range of exotic fruit flavours for jelly gums as it claims there is potential for firms to offer products that are distinct from competitors.
