Lebensmittelzusatzstoffe unter strenger Gesundheitsprüfung[en] 

The EU's 2000 White Paper on Food Safety announced a complete update of existing legislation with regards to food additives (sweeteners, colourings, preservatives) and flavourings  and introduced specific provisions for the use of food enzymes . 

Accordingly, the Commission adopted in July 2006 proposals for a regulation establishing a common authorisation procedure for a regulation on food additives , food enzymes and on flavourings and certain ingredients with flavouring properties for use in foods . 

The aim is to ensure that the authorisation of additives is based on sound scientific advice and that consumers are afforded the same level of safety wherever they are in the EU. The objective is also to inform consumers better as to whether, for example, the smoky taste of a food is naturally produced, or is due to the presence of artificial flavourings. In general, the current regulatory framework will be simplified and clarified as to which ingredients need to be labelled and which do not.

In parallel to the authorisation procedure for new additives (the risk assessment of which will be carried out by the European Food Safety Authority in Parma), the some 300 additives already on the market will gradually be re-evaluated. Additives which are currently authorised may stay on the market but, after the updating process is complete, any additive not on the approved list will be banned. 

The Parliament adopted, with amendments, the four regulations on 10 July 2007 (for texts adopted: common authorisation procedure ; food additives ; food enzymes ; flavourings ).

On the regulations, the Parliament supports the Commission's proposals overall, but goes somewhat further with regards the proposal on food additives. MEPs voted for an amendment calling for the regulation, in addition to ensuring high levels of protection for human health and the environment. 

The MEPs argue that in accordance with the so-called Cardiff Process , environmental aspects must be integrated into all EU legislation. "This is particularly relevant in this legislation as what a person eats does not stay in the human body but is dispersed into the natural environment and becomes part of the natural cycle. Even if a substance does not entail any health risk to the person consuming the product which contains the substance, there may be negative effects on the environment and public health at subsequent stages, which should be taken into account when deciding to grant authorisation or not," the explanatory statement reads. 

The MEPs also stated that "there is currently little known about the health risks of nanotechnology. It is not certain that the limit value for traditional use of an additive and the limit value for nanoparticles of an additive should be the same." They voted, if the use of nanotechnology is authorised, to include separate limit values for the application of nanotechnologies in the regulation.  

Furthermore, MEPs voted for the regulation to protect the interest of those consumers who are intolerant to certain substances and for the labels to state whether an additive has been produced using GMOs.

"For those who don't know the proposal, the issue may seem very technical and not that exciting. However, this package combines most of the EU's priorities - it deals with food safety and consumer protection, innovation and competitiveness of the EU food industry as well as simplification and better regulation," said Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. 

The rapporteur on the additives, Åsa Westlund (PSE), considers that "our focus should be on that consumers are not misled and that the environment is not harmed by the use of additives". 

"The Parliament's vote today is a victory for consumer protection. The new legislation will ensure that food additives shall not mislead the consumer into thinking that the food he or she consumes is fresher or healthier than it actually is. Food additives must demonstrate their safety and a real benefit to the consumer before they can be authorised," said Green MEP Bart Staes.  

"The Greens deeply regret, however, that the Parliament accepted to give away its co-decision powers in the authorisation procedures, which can be vital for food safety. While to date Council and Parliament have to agree on new substances before they can be put on the market, the adopted report transfers these powers to expert-panels within the Commission, the so-called comitology procedure. The Greens stress that these decisions, which are often controversial, should not be left to experts meeting behind closed doors," added another Green MEP, Carl Schlyter.

This concern had also already been voiced by the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC): "We are concerned about the proposal to use the comitology procedure instead of the co-decision procedure to update the community list of authorised additives, enzymes and flavourings. We believe that we will not be able to provide an input or see the basis for these important decisions unless clear transparency criteria are developed," the consumer organisation stated.