Labelling of ingredients of foodstuffs tightened up

MEP Christa KLASS (EPP-ED, D) member of EP’s Environment and Health Committee, tabled on 1st July 2003 a draft legislative resolution broadly approving the Council’s common position (see timeline of the process below) for amending the Labelling Directive (2000/13/EC) as regards indication of the ingredients present in foodstuffs.

The Council’s commom position had incorporated many of the changes demanded by the EP at first reading. However, Ms Klass included an amendment on the list of ingredients causing food allergies or intolerances:

"The Commission may be notified until 9 months after entry into force of the Directive of the studies on which ingredients listed in Annex IIIa are not allergenic.

After consulting the European Food Safety Authority, the Commission will, not later than 12 months after the entry into force of the Directive, adopt a list of those ingredients which will then be excluded from Annex IIIa until 4 years after entry into force of the Directive at the latest".

The aim of the proposed legislation is to amend the recent Labelling Directive, relating to the current possibility of not indicating the components of compound ingredients which form less than 25% of the final product.

 EP’s press release

 Recommendation for second reading on the Council common position for adopting a European Parliament and Council directive amending Directive 2000/13/EC as regards indication of the ingredients present in foodstuffs (15514/2/2002 - C5‑0080/2003 - 2001/0199(COD))

See EPHA’s related article: "New amendment on food labelling Directive improves consumer information".