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European Parliament supports labelling of nanomaterials in foods
Published: Thursday 26 March 2009
Just one day after agreeing on legislative measures for nanomaterials in cosmetics, the European Parliament has voted in favour of a report dealing with an update of the EU rules on novel foods, which also proposes special treatment of nanoparticles and nanomaterials. With 658 votes in favour, 15 against and 11 abstentions , the MEPs adopted a number of amendments to the Novel Foods Regulation on the topic of ‘nano’, including the following.
(6b) Test methods currently available are not adequate for assessing the risks associated with nanomaterials. Nanospecific non-animal test methods should be developed as a matter of urgency.
(6d) Nanomaterials present in food packaging should be entered on a list of approved nanomaterials, accompanied by a limit on migration into or onto the food products contained in such packaging.
2a. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, this Regulation shall apply to food additives, food enzymes, flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties to which is applied a new production process not used before 15 May 1997, which give rise to significant changes in the composition or structure of the food such as engineered nanomaterials.
2. The following definitions shall also apply:
(a) "novel food" means:
(iiia) food containing or consisting of engineered nanomaterials not used for food production within the Community before 15 May 1997.
(cc) "engineered nanomaterial" means any intentionally produced material that has one or more dimensions of the order of 100 nm or less or is composed of discrete functional parts, either internally or at the surface, many of which have one or more dimensions of the order of 100 nm or less, including structures, agglomerates or aggregates, which may have a size above the order of 100 nm but retain properties that are characteristic to the nanoscale.
Properties that are characteristic to the nanoscale include:
(i) those related to the large specific surface area of the materials considered and/or
(ii) specific physico-chemical properties that are different from those of the non-nanoform of the same material.
2a . In view of the various definitions of nanomaterials published by different bodies at international level and the constant technical and scientific developments in the field of nanotechnologies, the Commission shall adjust and adapt point (cd) [?] of paragraph 2 to technical and scientific progress and with definitions subsequently agreed at international level. That measure, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 14(3).
1a. Foods to which production processes have been applied that require specific risk assessment methods (e.g. foods produced using nanotechnologies) may not be included in the Community list until such specific methods have been approved for use, and an adequate safety assessment on the basis of those methods has shown that the use of the respective foods is safe.
2d. All ingredients present in the form of nanomaterials shall be clearly indicated in the list of ingredients. The names of such ingredients shall be followed by the word 'nano' in brackets.
The Parliamentarians did not support the inclusion of terminology referring to ‘produced with the aid of nanotechnology’.
Similar to the amended recast Cosmetics Directive, the agreement on this report amending the European Novel Foods Regulation, demonstrates the EU’s decision to pass the first legislative measure containing (a) a definition of nanomaterials, and (b) labelling with the word ‘nano’ on the product ingredients list.
Follow this link to find out more about the review of the Novel Foods Regulation, to view the complete text adopted by the MEPs on the 25th March 2009, or to find out more about the vote from the official press release.
Related Links:
The European Parliament approved the amended recast of the EU Cosmetics Directive, introducing the mention of ‘nanomaterials’ into an EU legislation. (25th March 2009)
In preparation of the upcoming European Parliament debate on the recast of the European Cosmetics Directive, German Tagesschau (News) published the reprint of a radio interview (HR) with the responsible European Parliament rapporteur Dagmar Roth-Behrens (German Social Democrats (SPD)) and Steffi Friedrichs, Director of the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA). (24th March 2009)
European Parliament to vote on a definition, notification and labelling of nanomaterials in cosmetics
Parallel to the ongoing debate and vote on the revision of the European Novel Foods Regulation, the European Parliament is scheduled to decide about the regulation of nanomaterials in cosmetics on the 24th and 25th March 2009. (20th March 2009)
Parallel to the ongoing debate and vote on the revision of the European Novel Foods Regulation, the European Parliament is scheduled to decide about the regulation of nanomaterials in cosmetics on the 24th and 25th March 2009. (20th March 2009)
On Tuesday, 24th March 2009, the European Parliament is scheduled to debate a report from the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) that wants risk assessments nanofoods and calls for labelling of products ‘produced with the aid of nanotechnologies’. (19th March 2009)