Germany's Tengelmann group has swapped 22 Kaisers supermarkets for
22 Spar outlets in Hungary, which it will convert to its Plus
discount format, which will now be the main focus of its
international growth.
Marking a crucial step towards the full implementation of the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Members of the European Parliament
(MEPs) yesterday reached an agreement on the movement of
genetically modified organisms.
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.
European Commissioner for agriculture, Franz Fischler - the
crusader of farm reform in Europe - yesterday defended his much
maligned proposed amendments to the common agricultural policy
(CAP) before MEPs in the European Parliament.
CSM, the parent of bakery ingredients company BakeMark
International, has boosted its fats capabilities for the Eastern
European market with the purchase of Unilever's Hungarian bakery
ingredients business. The new addition will...
The baton has been passed - and not too soon either. The European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has, at last, appointed the body of
scientists charged with the responsibility of scientific assessment
of food safety issues in Europe,...
The European Food Safety Authority's scientific committee says that
its panels have now been appointed, opening the way for the body to
start work on streamlining safety within the European food and
drinks industry.
Against the backdrop of imminent European enlargement the Food
Ingredients Central and Eastern Europe (FiCEE) exhibition, which
first took place in Hungary in 1999, will be held in Berlin next
year, organisers CMP Information announced.
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...
The European Commission's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health met last week to discuss again the avian influenza situation in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
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...
Irish consumers concerned about the presence of GM ingredients will
be assured by the results of a recent survey commissioned by Food
Safety Authority of Ireland that set out to identify foods
containing GM maize and/or soya ingredients...
Auchan, the French food retailer, has reported sales for 2002 only
marginally affected by exchange rate concerns due mainly to its
growing focus on core eurozone markets.
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...
Europe's sheep population fell by four per cent last year, according to figures released from the EU's December sheep census. Within the major sheep-rearing countries however, the rate of decline varied greatly.
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...
Following the possible outbreak of avian influenza in Germany last week, the European Commission has decided to reinforce the control measures already put in place by German authorities.
As the enlargement of the EU draws ever closer, the impact that this process will have on pork producers and processors within the new Member States is becoming a pressing concern.
The European Commission has proposed new regulations allowing
Member States to grant aid for research and development (R&D)
to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), without having to
first apply for clearance from the Commission,...
Calls for the creation of a new European funding structure totally
dedicated to research gained in volume this week with the release
of a new report from scientists in the EU.
The European Commission believes that the results of the Electronic Identification of Animals (Idea) project, presented yesterday, confirm the feasibility of electronically tagging cattle, sheep and goats.
With the imminent arrival of European enlargement, the welcoming
yesterday of 162 observers from candidate countries into the
European Parliament marked a significant step forward towards full
integration. The Confederation of the...
A harbinger of problems likely to arrive when new tougher European
legislation on genetically modified foods enters into law, arrived
with the findings of a recent survey on GM foods that highlighted
the fact that a small section...
Future co-existence of GM and non-GM foods is further put under
question as Friends of the Earth claims to have obtained a report
destined for the UK government revealing that if GM crops are
commercially grown in the UK it would...
Despite a tougher economic climate, Swedish ingredients company
Karlshamns managed to achieve volume growth in all business areas
for the first three months of the year with group net sales
increasing by some 9 per cent to SK 853...
"Free trade has to be safe trade," said Dr Patrick Wall, chief
executive of the Irish Food Safety Authority commenting on a new
agreement in Ireland that aims to tighten up food safety procedures
for imported foodstuffs...
The European Commission's Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) has
closed its door to the business of dispensing scientific advice,
but not before finalising 19 outstanding opinions and two reports
related to bovine spongiform...
The FSA is inviting comment on the draft Collagen and Gelatine
(Intra-Community Trade) Regulations for Northern Ireland 2003.
Comments are particularly welcome regarding the impact on business,
identification of additional costs and...
As the European Commission tells member states to tow the EU line
over genetically modified organisms, the issue continues to gain
pace elsewhere in the world. A report released today in New Zealand
on the economic risks and opportunities...
The Food Standards Agency in England is seeking comments on draft
regulations that include requirements for honey to be labelled with
country of origin. The regulations set out compositional standards
that a product must comply with...
Last week the European Commission threatened 12 EU member states
with court action should they continue to ignore new EU legislation
regulating the release of GMOs into the environment. A new survey
released this week backs up the...
Twelve out of the 15 European Union Member States could soon face
court action should they continue to ignore EU legislation on
genetically modified crops.
Wm Wrigley, the US-based gum maker, is staring defeat in the face
in its bid to register its Doublemint trademark in the EU. A senior
legal advisor at the European Court of Justice yesterday said that
an earlier decision by a lower...
European Union farm ministers have agreed a number of changes to
the rules governing geographical indications such as Rioja and
Parma ham, allowing producers to argue their case for preparing and
packaging the product in the region...
A crucial issue at the heart of the European food industry today is
the imminent enlargement of the European Union. For the ten
newcomers, the integration of current European food legislation,
critical for the country's ambitions,...
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday made a
further step towards openness and transparency with the launch of a
new tool to improve the flow of information between consumer and
state and to gauge industry views on...
"Food safety is not a political football," said the European
Consumers Organisation BEUC in response to recent reports on a
proposal to divide the location of the European Food
SafetyAuthority between two Member States -...
The European Commission for the first time imposed fines on farmers
unions yesterday. Six French federations in the beef sector
received a total of €16.7 million in fines for taking part in an
agreement to set a minimum price for...
German food industry sales dropped by 1 per cent last year as the
countrywide recession continued - a decline which the BVE industry
association claims has already led to the loss of numerous jobs.
More researchers with business heads are needed if Europe is to
become the most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010, said
Dimitris Deniozos, the Greek General Secretary for Research, on 24
March.
The CIAA, otherwise known as the voice of the European food and
drink industry, this week clearly expressed its support for
legislative proposals that would reform the Common Agricultural
Policy (CAP).
The new and emerging science and technology (NEST) programme from
the European Commission is an opportunity for the research
community to communicate what is important, said William Cannell,
head of unit for NEST in the Commission's...
Decoupling would secure significant income gains for EU farmers,
writes the European Commission this week. The comment on the link
between production and subsidy - so called 'decoupling' - is in
response to the release of...
The European Court of Justice yesterday authorised Denmark to
impose tougher food additive limits, effectively overuling a
previous decision declared by the European Commission.
Meeting in Brussels this week under the umbrella of the Agriculture
Council, European agriculture ministers hammered out the latest
issues affecting agriculture in Europe. Food safety and CAP reform
headlined the event.
Geoffrey Podger, the recently elected executive director of the
European Food Safety Authority, this week gave the green light for
the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration to evaluate flavours
for an EU-wide initiative that is...
The European Commission has announced a proposal to harmonise
maximum residue levels for pesticides in products of plant and
animal origin. The proposal aims to consolidate and simplify
current legislation.
The high profile issue of health continues to grab the spotlight
with the news yesterday that the European Commission is to pour
€312m into a new action programme 'to protect and improve the
health of Europe's citizens'.
