Food safety : EU Agency needs to show more transparency

Ministers and members of the European Parliament have taken in the past week in Strasbourg, an agreement for the update of the General food law. The new legislation follows on the Controversy surrounding the safety ratings in the case of controversial products. Especially the rating for the weed killer glyphosate had triggered criticism.

With the food act was established in the year 2002, the European food safety authority (EFSA). At the same time, the principle of risk analysis in EU food had been taken right. The Reform of this law was the last point of contention in the field of agricultural products and food in the current legislature of the EU Parliament. The revised law will not only have supply effects on plant protection products, but also to all other permits and approvals required for the entire chain of the Agricultural and food industry.

EU health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis welcomed the agreement in the past week and recalled that the proposal was a result of the European citizens ' initiative on the topic of glyphosate. With the adoption of the reform proposals, the EU would have shown institutions, "we have heard the demand for more transparency in an early stage of the risk assessment process," said Andriukaitis. According to his words, the food should be strengthened, safety authority EFSA by the member States to be more involved in their Board of Directors.

The European Association of pesticide industry (ECPA) welcomed the agreement as well. "More transparency is good for all of us: for industry, for institutions and for the citizens alike," it said in a statement the Association.

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EU-Parliament wanted stricter rules

"Certainly could have done more, but it's still a big step forward," commented the shadow Rapporteur in the European Parliament, pier Nicola Pedicini, the outcome of the deliberations. However, the Council and the Commission, have stonewalled on the question of whether the rules on transparency to meetings between the member States in the competent specialised committees should be extended.

at Least there is now, however, "a new regulation, the EFSA is obliged to publish the received applications, together with all the data and studies were provided to support these applications," added Pedicini.

The shadow Rapporteur for the socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Pavel Poc, praised the agreement. He stressed that in Europe there is no need for incidents as in the case of glyphosate. The British newspaper "the Guardian" had reported in September 2017, the Agency, EFSA had adopted the texts of the glyphosate manufacturer-Monsanto in their own Safety report. The EU Commission tried to refute the accusations, pointing out that previously Germany had taken over as Rapporteur for the Monsanto text blocks.

Edited by Sam Morgan and Tim stone.

Published by EurActiv.

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EU health Commissioner, Vytenis Andriukaitis, "5G and glyphosate, both of which is dangerous for health"

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