European Parliament report on making food contact materials safer

The European Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardisation (ANEC) issued a new position paper on Materials Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004) as its contribution to a report (2015/2259(INI)) drafted by the Parliament's ENVI committee (Rapporteur, Christel Schaldemose MEP).

In the paper, ANEC details the approach called for in their paper ‘Hazardous chemicals in products. The need for enhanced EU regulations’ in order to strengthen the regulatory framework for food contact materials by:

i) excluding certain substances of high concern - such as CMRs - in all food contact materials in the Framework Regulation for materials in contact with food (Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004) using a strict limit;

ii) reviewing existing implementing measures with a view to filling existing gaps and to adapting measures to the state-of-the-art;

iii) introducing specific measures for all materials listed in Annex I to the Framework Regulation not yet covered by regulatory provisions.

ANEC welcomes the EP draft report. Its essence, and several key conclusions are in line with their position. Nevertheless, ANEC thinks some recommendations should be revisited, especially those on "Implementation of EU legislation on Food Contact Materials successes and gaps".

Related links:

• Source: ANEC Newsletter 2016 - Ed. 4
• ANEC position paper on the implementation of the Food Contact Materials Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004) - May 2016