NEWSLETTER
End June-July2007
Dear Members,
Please note that during the summer breack, the NewsLetter will be released once a month(July/August).
We wish you a nice summer even if the weather is not always summer like.
The UECBV secretariat
NEWSLETTER End-June/July 2007
TABLE OF CONTENT
EU and EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
Reforming Europe for the 21st Century: Commission adopts its formal opinion before the Intergovernmental Conference
European Commission (1958-1972) – History and memories of an institution. Commission publishes book on the stepping stones to today's Europe
Switzerland signs up to the 7th Research Framework Programme
European health claim rules come into force
Rural Development policy 2007-2013: Rural Development Programmes for the period 2007-2013: Italy, France, Finland and the Netherlands
EU cuts red tape at record speed: Small businesses save time and money
EU examines tougher biosecurity measures for food
Food additives legislation fit for the 21st century
Quality products catch the eye: PDO, PGI or TSG
Eating meat contributes to global warming, says study
ANIMAL/PUBLIC HEALTH-FOOD SAFETY ISSUES
Paola Testori-Coggi appointed Deputy Director-General for Health and Consumer Protection
TSEs: Commission adopts more proportionate requirements
Scientific panel advises keeping ban on growth hormones
Avian influenza H5N1 confirmed in wild swans in Germany : authorities applying precautionary measures
Commission sends Reasoned Opinion to Italy over poultry labelling rules
Guidance sets out processing strategy on salt
Prebiotics could help combat meat pathogens, says USDA
Meat grinder maintains low temperature
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Going on the offensive: a new approach to EU agri-food exports
EU and Central America start negotiations for new Association Agreement
Customs: Commission welcomes political agreement on the modernised Customs Code
EU reaction to WTO Chairman's texts on Agriculture and NAMA
EU and Korean negotiators hold second round of FTA negotiations; EU sets bar high with bold 100% tariff-free market access offer
EU and China to develop markets for quality products with Geographical Indications (GIs)
Mandelson warns EU-China trade relationship "at a crossroads"
Strasbourg, 10 July 2007
China gets dead serious about food safety, executes former food and drug chief
NEW COMMUNITY LEGISLATION end June/July 2007
EU and EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
Reforming Europe for the 21st Century: Commission adopts its formal opinion before the Intergovernmental Conference
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 10July 2007The European Commission has today issued its formal opinion before the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference. Entitled "Reforming Europe for the 21st Century" the Commission opinion looks at how a Reform Treaty respecting the mandate agreed at the last European Council will answer the strategic political demands facing Europe today. The Commission opinion sets out the benefits that a Reform Treaty will bring to citizens. The Commission welcomes the convocation of the Intergovernmental Conference and underlines that Europe needs a Reform Treaty to be agreed and ratified ahead of the June 2009 European elections
Read the Press Release
European Commission (1958-1972) – History and memories of an institution. Commission publishes book on the stepping stones to today's Europe
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 25 June 2007To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Rome Treaties, the Commission is publishing on 29 June a reference work on its early years (1958-1972). The book has been written by European historians on the basis of the recollections of some 120 people who were involved at the time. It is a representation of the birth of the Commission, its initial struggles and its political and administrative development. President Barroso gave copies to the members of the European Council on 21 and 22 June, to underline ever more crucial role played by the Commission.
The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, writes in the preface: "The Commission's values remain valid and indispensable in an enlarged Europe. I am pleased to say that the Commission is still today the living symbol - the very personification - of the European Union (...).The lasting nature of this identification of the Commission with the European project after fifty years is due in large part to the fact that the Commission is seen as the archetypal Community institution, combining as it does the political answerability of an executive, administrative expertise and unwavering defence of the European project (...).The almost carnal link between the Commission and European integration is also due to the men and women who work there. I therefore wish to defend the Commission’s unique role and structure against populist and simplistic attacks since, make no mistake about it, it is European integration itself, in the shape of the Commission, that is under fire".
To give an insight into these little-known times, the Commission called on a team of European historians to write its history. In response to a call for tenders the task
Read the press release
Switzerland signs up to the 7th Research Framework Programme
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 25June 2007At a ceremony held in the margins of the Competitiveness Council in Luxembourg today, the EU and Switzerland signed an agreement enabling Switzerland to join the 7th Research Framework Programme. The agreement will allow Swiss research institutes, universities and companies to take part in all aspects of the programme, on the same terms as their counterparts in the EU Member States. Switzerland and the EU will thus carry on the successful research partnership they have enjoyed since 2004, when Switzerland joined the 6th Research Framework Programme, which led to the participation of more than 1800 Swiss organisations in European research projects. Switzerland's higher education institutes were particularly strong participants in FP6, making up 59% of all Swiss participants, ahead of industry with 29%. Swiss research entities participated in all activities under FP6 and were strongest in Information Society Technologies (IST). It is estimated that Switzerland's association will bring an additional €1.4 million to the FP7 budget of about €54 billion. The Agreement was signed for the EU by European Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik and Ms. Annette Schavan, German Federal Education and Research Minister and President of the Research Council. For Switzerland, the signatory was the Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, Mr. Pascal Couchepin.
European health claim rules come into force
Source: / nutraingredients.com / Date: / 2 July 2007The European Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation came into force yesterday, meaning food companies will only be able to make claims about their nutritional or health benefits approved by the European Food Safety Authority.
No food product will be allowed to be labelled under vague or generic terms such as 'good for your heart', 'help lower cholesterol' or branded as a 'superfood' without scientific backing.
The European Commission, which has been working on the document since 2003, insists the regulations will make food labels in the EU clear, accurate and substantiated.
This, it says, will enable consumers to make informed and meaningful choices when it comes to food and drinks.
Previously the rules on claims have been very general, but this regulation will mean vague nutritional claims like 'low in salt' and 'light' will have to meet a standardized definition agreed by the EU.
Read the article
Rural Development policy 2007-2013: Rural Development Programmes for the period 2007-2013: Italy, France, Finland and the Netherlands
Source: / European Commission - Agriculture News Digest / Date: / 20 June 2007Today the Rural Development Committee (consisting of representatives of the 27 Member States) gave a positive opinion to Rural Development programmes for the next financial period 2007-2013 of the Netherlands, France (not including Corsica) and mainland Finland. Further, the Committee gave a positive vote on the Italian National Network programme, an important coordination tool for the Italian rural development projects (21 regional programmes for Italy still have to be approved). This followed positive votes in May for the Czech Republic and Sweden. Financial aid of EUR 973 million for the Netherlands, EUR 10.8 billion for France, EUR 6.6 billion for Finland and EUR 82.9 million for the Italian National Network programme has been allocated. These programmes are defined to guarantee infrastructure, create new income opportunities for rural regions, promote growth and fight unemployment. The Commission still has to formally adopt the programme within the next weeks. The approval of the programmes for the other countries will follow in the next months.
EU cuts red tape at record speed: Small businesses save time and money
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 11 July 2007Public limited liability companies will no longer have to order costly expert reports in cases of mergers and divisions, unless there is ademand for such reports among shareholders. After a three months fast track procedure, the European Parliament today accepted aCommission proposal for removing unnecessary burdens on small businesses. The proposal is one of a package of ten ‘fast track actions’
presented by the Commission only a few months ago to cut red tape (see IP/07/294) and now awaits agreement by the Member States. Thispackage contains the first examples of pure reduction proposals, for instance when it comes to information obligations, to be agreed in a fastand efficient procedure by the legislators.
Read the Press Release
EU examines tougher biosecurity measures for food
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 16July 2007Green paper On bio-preparedness
Terrorists target our security, the values of our democratic societies and the basic rights and freedoms of our citizens. Although in the past terrorists used explosives or improvised explosive devices, they may in the future resort to non-conventional means such as biological weapons or materials. Some of these materials have the capacity to infect thousands of people, contaminate soil, buildings and transport assets, destroy agriculture and infect animal populations and eventually affect any food and feed at any stage in the food supply chain. The risk of "bioterrorist" attack has been statistically low,[1] but its consequences can be devastating. If a deliberate introduction of deadly pathogens or a naturally occurring disease outbreak were to occur in the European Union or be imported from a third country, it is possible that it could affect several Member States simultaneously or spread across borders and have considerable economic and social impact.
Responses should be sent to the Commission by October 2007.
Stakeholders may use the following e-mail address: or the following mailing address:Responses should be sent to the Commission by October 2007.
Read the press release
Food additives legislation fit for the 21st century
Source: / European Parliament / Date: / 10 July 2007Parliament approved with amendments a set of four regulations aimed at updating and simplifying methods for authorising food additives and bringing them into line with the latest scientific findings. One goal is higher safety standards for consumers but this streamlined legislation should also boost innovation and competitiveness in the European food industry.
The four first-reading reports were tabled by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. In today's plenary vote, MEPs decided to make the proposed procedures more transparent, to improve consumer protection and to safeguard the EP's right of scrutiny over any updates to the legislation.
Food additives are currently regulated by a dozen or so EU laws, which the four new regulations will simplify and bring into line with the latest scientific findings. The first regulation sets out an EU-level "common authorisation procedure" for additives, enzymes and flavourings. The other three deal in detail with each of these categories, for which lists of authorised products will be compiled, with conditions of use and rules on labelling. The European Commission will manage the lists of approved products, subject to risk assessments carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Read the press release
Quality products catch the eye: PDO, PGI or TSG
Source: / European Commission - - Agriculture News Digest / Date: / 25 June 2007Registration as PDO, PGI or TSG
Applications for registration:
'Lingot du Nord': PGI (OJ C 151 - 05/07/2007, p. 21)
'Salate von der Insel Reichenau': PGI (OJ C 135 - 19/06/2007, p. 22)
'Gurken von der Insel Reichenau': PGI (OJ C 135 - 19/06/2007, p. 25)
'Feldsalat von der Insel Reichenau': PGI (OJ C 135 - 19/06/2007, p. 27)
'Tomaten von der Insel Reichenau': PGI (OJ C 135 - 19/06/2007, p. 29)
Amendment of specifications:
'Esrom': PGI (OJ L 160 - 21/06/2007, p. 10)
For further information: click here
Eating meat contributes to global warming, says study
Source: / Euractiv / Date: / 20 July 2007Eating one kilogram of beef produces more greenhouse gas emissions than driving for three hours while leaving the lights on at home,according toa new study from Japanthat examines the CO2 emissions resulting from bringing an average beef cow to market.
Related:
LinksDossier: EU climate change policies
Brief News:
Researchers from the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science inTsukuba, Japan, examined the "life-cycle" of a standard beef cow, including feed production and transport, animal management and the biological activity of the animal.
These life-cycle stages were then scrutinised for their climate change-related impacts: energy consumption, methane production, and water acidification and eutrophication -meaning the excessive nutrient enrichment of water bodies that can reduce both their oxygen content and CO2 absorption capacity.
In total, over 4,500 kilograms of greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions are produced by one averagebeefcow throughout its life-cycle, according to the study, published in the August 2007 edition of theAnimal Science Journal.
Methane produced by the digestive systems of the animals accounts for most of the GHG emissions, while more thantwo-thirds of the total energy needs are taken up in the production and transport of feed for the animals.
The study examined standard industrial meat production methods in Japan and did not examine the additional CO2 emissions from transporting the beef to market, thus theactual GHG emissions may varydepending onproducer countriesand distances to markets.
Better waste management and shorter intervals between calving cyclescould reduce GHG emissions, the authors suggest. Organic farming methods have also been proven to reduce emissions and energy use considerably, according to a 2003 Swedish study.
In related news, Parliament's temporary committee on climate change met on 17 July in Brussels to discuss the EU's statedgoal of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020. MEPs debated policyoptionswith a Commission official present at the meeting, who emphasised the role that developing countries need to play in reducing CO2 emissions.
The Commission is hoping to advance international cooperation on climate change at the December 2007 UN Climate Change Conference in Bali.
ANIMAL/PUBLIC HEALTH-FOOD SAFETY ISSUES
Paola Testori-Coggi appointed Deputy Director-General for Health and Consumer Protection
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 18 July 2007Today the European Commission appointed Paola Testori-Coggi as Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO). She will be responsible for the Commission's policy on food safety, in particular the safety of the food and feed chain, animal health, animal welfare and plant health. She will also assist the Director-General with overall management.
In her new role, Ms Testori-Coggi will drive the EU's integrated approach to food safety, with coherent farm-to-fork measures and adequate monitoring, while ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market. She will also supervise the consistency of the Directorate-General's policies on food safety with other Commission policies.
Read the Press Releases
TSEs: Commission adopts more proportionate requirements
Source: / European Commission / Date: / 26 June 2007The European Commission has today adopted a Regulation amending the EU provisions for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in sheep and goats. The new legislation makes the TSE monitoring and eradication requirements more flexible and balanced, while ensuring that the current very high level of consumer protection is maintained. Very intensive TSE monitoring in sheep and goats has been carried out since 2005, yet no incidence of BSE has been detected in these animals in that time. Moreover, in its Opinion of March 2007, the European Food Safety Authority found no evidence of any link between scrapie (the most common TSE in small ruminants) and any human disease. Therefore, the stringent EU measures in place for TSE monitoring and eradication in sheep and goats are no longer viewed as proportionate. For that reason, the Commission has reviewed the measures, making them more targeted, more risk-based and less burdensome on farmers and livestock operators. The highly intensive TSE testing in sheep and goats will be adjusted, and the number of tests which will have to be carried out on these animals will return to around the pre-2005 level. In addition, the rules on culling whole herds upon detection of a TSE case have been adjusted, to reduce unnecessary mass slaughters which can have severe social and economic consequences. Much clearer provisions for measures to be taken when an unusual or atypical type of TSE is found in sheep or goats are also laid out in the legislation adopted today. The Regulation was endorsed by MemberStates in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health in April, and will enter into effect on 1 July 2007.
Scientific panel advises keeping ban on growth hormones
Source: / Foodnavigator.com / Date: / 18July 2007New scientific studies do not provide enough evidence for the EU to amend its ban on the use of growth promoting hormones in cattle, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has concluded.
EFSA today issued a report by one of its scientific panels, which concluded that there are no grounds to call for revision of previous risk assessments advising a ban on growth promoting hormones.
The EU ban has led to a trade battle with the US, which permits the use of growth hormones. The ban has meant EU processors have had to carefully chose the source of their meat supplies.
Growth promoting hormones are used to increase the weight gain of cattle. However, such drugs are not permitted in Europe because of concerns about possible health risks from residues in the meat and other edible parts.