Category: Europe
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UK to Create Food Crime Unit in Response to Final Report Analyzing Food Supply Networks
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Food Standards Agency on September 4, 2014, issued a final report evaluating U.K. food supply networks and containing recommendations for government action to address any weaknesses. The government commissioned the report from University of Belfast Professor Chris Elliott following a 2013 incident known as “Horsegate”…
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ASA Dismisses Complaints Against Tesco Milk Ads
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has dismissed complaints challenging print and TV advertisements that tout Tesco-brand milk as fairly priced and responsibly sourced. In particular, the complaints alleged that (i) “the image of cows in an open field did not accurately represent how the milk was produced or the conditions in which the cows…
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EFSA Refines Declarations of Interest Rules
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has revised the rules governing “Declarations of Interest” as part of its ongoing effort to increase openness and transparency. Effective September 30, 2014, the updated rules clarify how the agency uses such declarations “to prevent the occurrence of conflicts of interest among the members of its governance bodies and…
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EFSA Rejects Emergency Measure to Ban GM Maize
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected the evidence submitted by France “in support of its request to prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified [GM] maize MON 810 in the EU.” As requested by the European Commission, EFSA reviewed the French report but determined that none of the cited studies “would invalidate the previous…
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UK Ad Watchdog Backs Teabag Claims
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has dismissed a competitor’s complaint alleging that Unilever UK Ltd.’s commercial for its pyramid-shaped teabags “exaggerated the capability and performance of the advertised product.” Tata Global Beverages reportedly argued that (i) the visual demonstration used in a TV commercial for PG Tips tea was misleading, (ii) Unilever’s claim that…
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EU and Southern Africa Agree to Protect Unique Food Names
The European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)—Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland—have agreed to protect each other’s geographical indication (GI) names on agricultural products. The EU lists 251 GIs it seeks to protect for a variety of products, focusing especially on dairy products like cheese, while South Africa’s 105…
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EU Publishes Draft Directive Allowing Member States to Ban GMOs
At the request of 13 member states, the Council of the European Union (EU) has adopted a draft directive granting its member states “more flexibility to decide whether or not they wish to cultivate genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on their territory.” In a July 23, 2014, press release, the council states that it sought “to…
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EFSA Sets ADI for Sunset Yellow
After revisiting a prior safety assessment, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 4 mg/kg bw/day for the food coloring known as Sunset Yellow. EFSA’s Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Food (ANS) recommended raising the ADI—previously set at 1 mg/kg bw/day—in light of a…