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Yesterday (24 May), the 4^th Platform of Food waste and food loses took place in the context of the agri/food event AGROBALT in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Platform was an opportunity to take stock of the various achievements in the area in recent months. The specific focus of the meeting was the role of consumers in the fight against food waste. According to a 2015 Eurobarometer survey, 76% of EU citizens acknowledge that they have a role to play in the reduction of food waste. Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, in charge of Health and Food Safety, stressed that: "if, as consumers, we are given the opportunity and ability to prevent food waste, growing awareness and stimulating motivation to act can lead to durable changes in our daily lives.'' Main presentations made during the Platform can be found here.

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Yesterday, the Commission published the 2017 annual report of the EU Food Fraud Network and the System for Administrative Assistance and Food Fraud (AAC-AA and AAC-FF). 775 cases were reported in 2017 in both the AAC-AA and AAC-FF, a significant jump from the 243 cases reported in 2016. This clearly shows that although there is no obligation to use the system, Member States' competent authorities have embraced it and are now in the habit of using the system to request information on suspected cases of non-compliance or food fraud from their counterparts in other EU countries.

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Today, the Commission is publishing the 2019 annual report of the EU Food Fraud Network and the System for Administrative Assistance and Food Fraud (AAC-AA and AAC-FF). The report highlights examples of EU coordinated cases as well as statistics on suspected cases food fraud through the Administrative Assistance and Cooperation System (the AAC-FF System).

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The Commission published the 2017 annual report of the EU Food Fraud Network and the System for Administrative Assistance and Food Fraud (AAC-AA and AAC-FF). 775 cases were reported in 2017 in both systems, a significant jump from the 243 cases reported in 2016, which proves that the system is widely used by the EU Member States.

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Today, the EU One-Health Network on AMR, chaired by the European Commission, meets for the second time in Brussels. Network members include representatives of chief veterinary officers and chief public health officers from all 28 EU countries, Commission experts and EU agencies. The bi-annual One-Health Network meetings provide members with a platform to present national action plans and keep each other up to date on their progress, to share best practices, and to discuss policy options and how to enhance coordination.

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The Commission has published today a new Regulation that significantly tightens the restrictions on the use of BPA in food contact materials. It lowers the regulatory limit (specific migration limit or 'SML'), which is the amount allowed to migrate from the plastic material into food while keeping it safe, and extends this restriction to coating materials, which are used to line food and drink cans. The new Regulation also extends the ban from 2011 on the use of BPA in baby bottles by prohibiting the use of BPA to manufacture infant 'sippy' cups as well as the migration of BPA from coated materials containing food intended for infants and children 0–3 year olds. The new Regulation will apply from 6 September 2018.

For further information: Questions & Answers on BPA

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Responding to the concerns expressed by citizens in a successful European Citizens' Initiative, the Commission put forward a proposal to increase the transparency of scientific studies in the food safety area, strengthen EFSA governance and improve risk communication.

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The European Commission has today adopted the new rules on labelling the origin of the primary ingredient in food which were endorsed by a vote by the Member States. The new regulation will ensure a high level of transparency, providing EU citizens with clear information about the origin of food sold on the EU market. Under the Regulation on food information to consumers (FIC), the origin of primary ingredient must be indicated if different from the origin of the food in order to not deceive consumers and to harmonise the presentation of such information. There will be a certain level of flexibility for food business operators in order to take into account the various methods of food processing. The legislation will apply from 1 April 2020.

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The Commission has launched the first ever European Sustainability Award to recognize the efforts and creativity of European businesses, organisations and individuals who work towards reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This year, the theme of the award is “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.

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Today, the Commission has published a measure which allows Member States to carry out official controls on the agri-food chain on a more flexible basis, in order to tackle the specific challenges of the situation due to COVID-19. The measure helps to prevent the spread of the disease through movements of control staff and to facilitate the movement of animals, plants, food and feed into and within the EU, in spite of the current circumstances. At the same time, the measure does not modify substantial rules of EU law regulating public and animal health, food and feed safety and animal welfare.

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Today, the Commission published the results of the first coordinated official controls of Internet marketed foods carried out by 25 EU Member States, Switzerland and Norway.

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EFSA’s guidance on communication of uncertainties in scientific assessments provides a structured approach for tailoring information on uncertainties in food safety assessments to diverse audiences across Europe.

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The Commission is organising a selection procedure to replace 7 out of 14 members of the Management Board of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) whose mandates will expire on 30 June 2020. The call for expressions of interest is published in the Official Journal of the European Union: OJ C 179 of 24 May 2019. The deadline for submission of applications is 19 July 2019.

The Management Board is responsible for the general monitoring of the work of the Authority to ensure that it carries out its mission and performs the tasks assigned to it in accordance with its mandate and within a culture of independence and transparency. The Management Board also appoints the Executive Director and members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels. The Management Board is composed of 14 members, plus a representative of the Commission. Four of the members shall have their background in organisations representing consumers and other interests in the food chain.

Once all applications have been submitted, the Commission will draw up a list of candidates to send to the Council, which will then appoint the new Management Board members in consultation with the European Parliament.

The appointment is expected in June 2020 for the period of 4 years starting on 1 July 2022. However, the duration of the term of office will be subject to amendments when the European Parliament and the Council formally adopt the new Regulation on the transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain amending Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and eight other Union acts (‘Transparency regulation’) in the course of summer 2019. The new Transparency Regulation is expected to enter into application in the first half of 2021, after the appointment by the Council of the 7 members selected on the basis of this call for expressions of interest. As such, the term of office shall end on 30 June 2022.

The Application Form and Declaration of Interest Form are accessible here.

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On 18 February, members of the ENVI Committee met at the European Parliament to exchanges views number of issues. Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, on her part, highlighted key priorities, such as the European Beating Cancer Plan, the European health Data as well as the upcoming Farm to Fork strategy, which forms part of the European Green Deal.

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The Commission has published the "Guidelines for the feed use of food no longer intended for human consumption", as integral part of the communication on the Circular Economy. The valorisation of the nutrients of food which is, for commercial reasons or due to problems of manufacturing, no longer intended for human consumption, via animal nutrition avoids that these materials are composted, transformed in biogas or disposed of by incineration or landfilling.

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The Commission has published the "Guidelines for the feed use of food no longer intended for human consumption", as integral part of the communication on the Circular Economy. The valorisation of the nutrients of food which is, for commercial reasons or due to problems of manufacturing, no longer intended for human consumption, via animal nutrition avoids that these materials are composted, transformed in biogas or disposed of by incineration or landfilling.

Available in all EU languages, these Guidelines should assist the national and local competent authorities, as well as the operators in the food chain, in applying the relevant Union legislation. Legal clarity is therefore enhanced and examples of best practices that are in compliance with the current Union regulatory framework while preventing unnecessary administrative burden are presented. The document contains 15 concrete clarifications and assisting directions for Authorities and stakeholders.

The EU Guidelines were developed by the Commission in close cooperation with the food, feed, animal health and environmental authorities of the Member States and the members of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste and other stakeholders.

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How much food do we waste on the farm, in manufacturing, supermarkets, restaurants and canteens and in households? In order to help Member States quantify food waste at each stage of the food supply chain, the Commission has established an EU measurement methodology that is published today for open public consultation. Citizens and stakeholders have the opportunity to express their views on the proposed methodology, which will be open for feedback for 4 weeks.

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Member States' representatives in a Standing Committee have backed a proposal by the European Commission to further restrict the use of three active substances (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam) known as "neonicotinoids". An EFSA led scientific review concluded that the outdoor use of these substances harms bees.

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Today, the Commission has launched an Online Public Consultation on the evaluation of the Food Contact Materials (FCM) legislation. Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 provides a harmonised legal EU framework for FCM in order to achieve a high level of protection of human health and to ensure the effective functioning of the European Union market. The Regulation sets basic requirements that FCM must not release their constituents into food at levels harmful to human health and contains rules on labelling and traceability as well as powers to adopt more specific measures for certain types of materials. The evaluation will seek the view of stakeholders, public authorities, the general public as to whether the current EU legislation for FCMs is fit for purpose and delivers as expected. The evaluation will provide a basis on which the Commission can consider which, if any, possible steps need to be taken in the future concerning the regulation of FCM in the EU. The Public Consultation is part of the evaluation exercise and aims at gathering the views and evidence from a wide range of stakeholders on the functioning of the FCM legislation, including the impact on citizens and on the requirements that the legislation sets for businesses and public authorities.

Further information can be found on the Food Contact Materials website.

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Japan has confirmed that several EU Member States’ applications to export beef meat (notably from Croatia, Spain) or beef products (notably from Denmark, France, Poland) will be finalised more quickly in accordance with its risk assessment procedures. Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner in charge of Health and Food Safety, welcomed this step forward, stressing that “it is great to see our trade partners acknowledging that the battle against BSE has been won and that the quality of EU’s beef and beef products is being recognised around the world. Additional access to this crucial market is excellent news for the EU producers!”. The Commission continues to be very active in making sure that pending requests for exports of food products such as  fruits (for example pears from Belgium and Italy, kiwis from Italy and Greece or cherries from Hungary and Portugal) as well as “regionalisation” applications related to African Swine Fever for exports of meat of porcine animals from Hungary, Belgium and Poland will be dealt within a reasonable timeframe.

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