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European Parliament votes to oppose Council Position on nano-specific Amendments to Novel Foods Regulation
Published: Wednesday 14 July 2010
During the 2nd reading, on the 7th July 2010, the European Parliament plenary voted to adopt a set of amendments to the Novel Foods Regulation; the proposed text changes to the Novel Foods Regulation specifically represent (a) additions or (b) changes to the position of the European Council, adopted on the 15th March 2010.
Commented excerpts from the amending acts proposed by the European Parliament (follow this link to download an NIA-Summary of the nanospecific amendments).
In contrast to the European Council, the Parliament’s amendments make a point of including ‘new production processes, such as nanotechnology and nanoscience’ in the definition of ‘Novel Foods’:
Amendment 10; Council position – amending act; Recital 6: (6) It should also be clarified that a food should be considered as novel when a production technology which was not previously used for the production of foods to be marketed and consumed is applied to that food. In particular, emerging technologies in breeding and food production processes, which have an impact on food and thus might have an impact on food safety, should be covered by this Regulation. Novel food should therefore include foods derived from plants and animals, produced by non-traditional breeding techniques, and foods modified by new production processes, such as nanotechnology and nanoscience, which might have an impact on food. Foods derived from new plant varieties, or animal breeds produced by traditional breeding techniques, should not be considered as novel foods.
The Parliament furthermore proposes the addition of food packaging materials in the scope of the Novel Foods Regulation:
Amendment 13; Council position – amending act; Recital 7 a (new): (7a) Only nanomaterials entered in a list of approved substances should be present in food packaging, accompanied by a limit on migration into or onto the food products contained in such packaging.
The Parliament also adds a paragraph on labelling of nano-ingredients:
Amendment 75; Council position – amending act; Article 9 - paragraph 2 c (new): 2c. 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.
In case the Council rejects the Parliament’s position, the conciliation procedure between the Parliament and the Council will be launched in September 2010.
Follow these links to find out more about the current recast procedure of the Novel Foods Regulation, to find out more about the Council position, to download an NIA-Summary of the nanospecific amendments, or to view the full set of proposed amendments, adopted by the Parliament on the 7th July 2010.
Tags: European Parliament, regulation, European Novel Foods Regulation, food & feed, European Council