Newsletter on food safety, health and consumer policy from the ’s Health and Consumers DG

September 2009

Headline News A smoke free Europe by 2012 A smoke free Europe by 2012______1 Following extensive consultation, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Recommen- dation on 30 June calling on Mem- Top Stories ber States to bring in laws by 2012 to protect their citizens from exposure Consumer rights: Enforcement Package adopted______2 to tobacco smoke. Tobacco remains the largest single cause of premature New feed regulation in the EU______3 death and disease in the European mounting for smoke-free policies, A new Business Application to notify Union. According to conservative es- with 84% of Europeans supporting dangerous products______4 timates, 79 000 adults, including 19 smoke-free offices and other indoor 000 non-smokers, died in the EU-25 Animal treatment in slaughters_____4 workplaces; 77% in favour of smoke- in 2002 due to exposure to tobacco free restaurants, and 61% supporting smoke at home (72 000) and in their smoke-free bars and pubs. workplace (7 300). In brief The Recommendation calls on All Member States have some form Member States to act on three main European policy makers focus on of regulation in place to limit expo- fronts: tuberculosis______2 sure to second-hand smoke and its European award on NGO combat harmful effects on health. The scope • Adopt and implement laws within against tuberculosis______2 and character of these regulations three years of the adoption of the vary. On-line debate on EU health and Recommendation to fully protect consumer policy______3 So far, ten EU Member States provide their citizens from exposure to tobac- comprehensive protection from ex- co smoke in enclosed public places, 30 Years of RASFF – keeping an eye on posure to tobacco smoke. Total bans your food______4 workplaces and public transport (as on smoking in all enclosed public stated in Article 8 of the Framework places and workplaces, including Convention on Tobacco Control); bars and restaurants, are in place in Ireland and the UK. A similar ban is • Enhance smoke-free laws with sup- due to come into force in porting measures such as protecting in June 2010. Italy, Malta, Sweden, children, encouraging efforts to give Latvia, Finland, Slovenia, France and up tobacco use and pictorial warn- The Netherlands have introduced ings on tobacco packages; smoke-free legislation allowing for special enclosed smoking rooms. • Strengthen cooperation at EU level However, in the remaining Member by setting up a network of national States, people are still not fully pro- focal points for tobacco control. tected from exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces and For further information, please see: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressRe- public places. A recent Eurobarom- leasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/ eter poll suggests that popularity is 1060&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN

ISSN 1830-7051  In brief Consumer rights: Enforcement

European policy makers focus on Package adopted tuberculosis “Enforcement” is the act of mak- The European Commission, the European ing sure that consumer rules are re- Centre for Disease Prevention and Con- spected. This encompasses a wide trol (ECDC) and the World Health Organi- spectrum of activities, by a variety of sation’s Regional Office for Europe (WHO EURO) met in on 30 June actors, using different instruments. and 1 July with more than 90 representa- The adoption of the Enforcement tives from the European Ministries of Package on 2 July marks a milestone Health, donors, partners and stakeholder in the enforcement of consumer to discuss how to prevent and control tu- berculosis. rights, since the initiatives seek to secure the highest possible level of out increasing the administrative In 2007, 50 0000 cases of tuberculo- consumer protection which will, in sis were reported in the 53 WHO EURO burden on companies. countries, including 85 000 in the 27 EU turn, give consumers confidence to Member States and EFTA/EEA countries. exploit the full potential of the Sin- The Commission’s Biennal Report As such, the European countries are short gle Market. is based on national reports from of reaching their common objectives of Member States, statistical data ex- controlling and stopping TB. The EU has developed a set of con- tracted from the IT-tool used by the To tackle this challenge, the participants sumer rules, aiming for a strong, CPC Network and the practical expe- agreed on a series of actions and princi- healthy and competitive Single rience gained through the coordina- ples to halt the spread of TB in Europe: Market, in which consumers can tion of the Network’s first joint - en strengthen the involvement of the civil society and NGOs, promote health sys- confidently buy goods and services forcement actions, the EU-sweeps. tems strengthening, ensure the follow- within the EU, but rules on their own It is the first such report adopted up on the 2007 Berlin Declaration (that are not enough – they must be ap- by the Commission and covers the resets health agendas across the WHO plied properly in practice if we want years 2007 and 2008. It shows that European Region), ensure that the Euro- them to deliver tangible results for the new CPC instrument is fulfilling pean countries have access to the exist- ing funding mechanisms and ensure that citizens, and that is why enforce- its purpose, but it also indicates that research is maintained as a priority. ment matters. more work is still needed to increase the Network’s efficiency. This Enforcement Package consists European award on NGO combat of a Communication and a Report The European Commission does not against tuberculosis on the first two years of application have direct enforcement powers vis- In order to highlight the work carried of the Consumer Protection Coop- à-vis traders in enforcing consumer out and the achievements made by non- eration (CPC) Regulation 1, which laws. This is the prerogative of Mem- governmental organisations to combat established an EU wide network of ber States. However, given the emer- against tuberculosis, a European award public authorities enforcing con- gence of new factors such as e-com- on NGO combat against TB was assigned to three NGOs during a two-day meeting sumer rules in the Member States merce, enlargement of the Single on Tuberculosis organised on 30 June (CPC Network). Market and the increased globalisa- and 1 July in Luxembourg. tion of trade in goods and services, Based on an analysis of the state of The aim of the award is to provide rec- enforcement can no longer be seen play and of what has been achieved ognition to European NGOs for their as confined to national boundaries. achievements and sustainable and out- so far, the Communication takes stock standing work against tuberculosis in the of consumer enforcement action and In this context, the Commission has a WHO European Region. aims to identify the main challenges unique pan-European vantage point The three non-governmental organisa- that need to be overcome to ensure which can bring added value to an tions rewarded for their important con- more effective enforcement of EU effective, coherent and optimal en- tributions were as follows: consumer law. The Communication forcement policy in the EU. • 1st Prize - CARLUX, from Moldova; also identifies five priority areas with • 2nd Prize - KNCV Tuberculosis Founda- accompanying actions to improve For further information, please see: tion, from The Netherlands; enforcement, thereby delivering to http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases Action. EU consumers the highest possible do?reference=MEMO/09/ 312&format=HTML&aged=0 • 3rd Prize - Health of Romany People &language=EN&guiLanguage=en Foundation, from Bulgaria. level of consumer protection with-

 Health & Consumer Voice

New feed regulation in the EU In brief

Farmers and pet owners will soon get On-line debate on EU health and better information on the feed they consumer policy buy - a step that will further strength- en food safety in the EU. On 22 June, Directorate General for Health and Con- sumers (DG SANCO) turns 10 years old the Council of Agriculture Ministers this autumn. To celebrate this occasion, adopted a regulation which replaces on September 14, DG SANCO will launch the current legislation on marketing an on-line discussion on health and con- and the use of feed. sumer policy on Debate Europe. “bio-proteins” is abolished. Now EU health and consumer policy touches The new legislation, based on a “bio-proteins” have to comply with many aspects of the daily life of Europe- Commission proposal of 2008, con- the general provisions for feed ma- ans, from the safety of the food they eat or the products they use, to the protec- siderably simplifies the existing terials; procedures and helps to promote tion they enjoy when making purchases - be they abroad or online, to the promo- innovation and competitiveness in • Mandatory labelling for feed ma- tion of healthy living and medical services the European feed sector. It is also terials and mixed feed. In particular, across our borders. expected to contribute to a more the regulation provides for specific But does the general public consider that integrated single market for feed by mandatory labelling requirements EU health and consumer policy has had reducing the administrative burden for feed materials, compound feed an impact on their lives? If so, was it help- for feed operators. The regulation (including pet food) and “dietetic” ful or did they have negative experienc- was endorsed by the European Par- feed; es? And are there still issues where the EU should intervene – or do better? liament on 5 February and is expect- ed to enter into force later this year. • Solution to the controversial issue An on-line debate will provide Europeans of the declaration of feed materials with a good opportunity to make their The regulation caters for modern in compound feed (so-called “open voices heard on health and consumer policy and to get involved with a discus- marketing conditions and addresses declaration”) in a balanced way to sion with others. While visiting a special the different information needs of allow innovation and, at the same sub-site they will also be able to vote in the specific types of feed purchas- time, appropriate information for an on-line opinion poll and learn more ers, such as qualified farmers or or- customers; about EU initiatives by watching video- dinary pet owners. It also provides clips or following links provided. for the modern tools of commerce, • Creation of a guide to good labelling The specific channel on Debate Europe such as the internet. Furthermore, it for farm animal feed and one for pet is open from September 14 - 9 October 2009. The conclusions of the on-line dis- establishes a new co-regulation ap- food on the initiative of stakeholders (feed manufacturers and users) and cussion will be presented during an an- proach which delegates competenc- niversary seminar on 23 October 2009 es in non-safety relevant areas to approved by the Commission (Co- which will be attended by current and feed operators, subject to approval regulation); former Commissioners, stakeholders and by the Commission. By considerably the media. It will also be made available • Establishment of a Community Cat- on the DG SANCO website. simplifying existing legislation, it re- alogue of feed materials in co-regu- duces the administrative burden for Those wishing to participate should fol- lation. The regulation transfers the low this link: http://europa.eu/debateeu- all stakeholders. initiative for updating the EU’s list of rope/index_en.htm. The text contains modern, simplified feed materials, specifying the most rules on the: relevant compounds used in feed, from the legislator to feed operators. • Responsibility of feed business op- erators expanded to include those The legislation will now be signed dealing with pet food; by the Presidents of the and the Council and will • List of prohibited substances for then enter into force later this year. feed use; For further information, please visit: • Obligation to undergo a pre-mar- http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/animalnutrition/label- ket authorisation procedure for ling/index_en.htm

 ND-CV-09-008-EN-N

A new Business Application to In brief notify dangerous products 30 Years of RASFF – keeping an eye on your food In an address of 3 July to the Euro- step, thereby simplifying and speed- pean Business Leaders Convention ing up the process. This is of prime In the context of the celebration of the in Helsinki, Meglena Kuneva, Euro- importance to any consumer who 30th anniversary of the Rapid Alert Sys- pean Commissioner for Consumers, may be at risk from such products. tem for Food and Feed (RASFF), the Euro- presented to business leaders the pean Commission’s Directorate-General The “GPSD Business Application” is for Health and Consumers organised a new “GPSD Business Application”, a secure internet system, which has high-level conference on 16 July to give an on-line system for producers and operators, consumers and authorities been operational since May 2009. It distributors to notify authorities in the opportunity to interact and rein- can be accessed by companies via Member States about dangerous force the network of interested parties the Commission’s website (https:// worldwide. Through an active exchange consumer products on the EU mar- webgate.ec.europa.eu/gpsd-ba/) of knowledge and views between the ket. where companies can download the various stakeholders, the conference ex- plored the current role of the RASFF in Producers and distributors have notification form. Once completed, food safety and how the system can be an obligation to alert all Member a notification is submitted to the da- further improved and enhanced in or- States where dangerous goods were tabase of the application, where it der to achieve the highest possible level found on the market under the Gen- will become available to authorities of food safety. eral Product Safety Directive (GPSD, of Member States. Access to the da- Commissioner 2001/95/EC). Up to now, such notifi- tabase is restricted to Member State opened the conference and offered a glimpse of what RASFF is all about. Work cations had to be sent to each Mem- authorities. done and work in progress were ex- ber State separately. The new online For further information, please see: plained both by the European Commis- sion, which is managing the system, and system will make it possible for busi- http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleas- nesses to alert all Member States esAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/ by a Member State actively participat- 315&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN ing in it. Other views of the system were concerned, at the same time, in one presented through keynote speeches by the ASEAN secretariat, BEUC and WHO. Animal treatment in slaughters A brand new RASFF public portal and a new IT application replacing the cur- Conditions for animals at the time rent RASFF public weekly were also of killing will improve considerably launched. Furthermore, the 2008 Annual from 1 January 2013, when a regula- Report was presented on this occasion, tion providing for a series of practi- together with a special booklet on the cal measures to ensure animals are 30 years of the system, an explanatory RASFF leaflet and a video. All this mate- humanely treated, will enter into rial is now available online. force. To simplify existing legisla- point a specific person responsible tion and bring it into line with food for animal welfare and ensure that hygiene regulations, the proposal their staff is properly trained and For further information, please see: integrates welfare considerations certified. Each operator will have to http://www.30yearsrasff.eu/ into the design of slaughterhouses develop and implement standard and requires the regular monitoring operating procedures for ensuring of the efficiency of stunning - tech proper welfare standards in a reli- niques. able way. Requiring standardized procedures for animal welfare is an Every year, nearly 360 million pigs, innovation of this regulation, which sheep, goats and cattle as well as will require operators to evaluate the several billion poultry are killed in efficiency of their stunning methods EU slaughterhouses for their meat. through animal based indicators. Af- In addition, about 25 million animals ter stunning, animals will have to be The views expressed in Health & Consumer Voice do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the are killed for their fur. The control of regularly monitored to ensure they European Commission. contagious diseases may also require © European Communities, 2009. Reproduction of articles do not regain consciousness before (excluding photographs) is authorised, except for commercial the culling of thousands to millions purposes, provided that the source is mentioned. slaughter. Chief Editor: Eric Thévenard. of other animals. Editors: Rosita Scanferla, in cooperation with the EC Health For further information, please see: and Consumers DG. Layout: Rosita Scanferla. http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/welfare/slaughter/ http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm The new regulation provides that Email: [email protected] slaughterhouses will have to ap- index_en.htm