Parliamentary Committees Vote in Support of Consumer Protection in the Specialised Nutrition Sector

Feb 7 2012 --- IDACE, the association representing the specialised nutrition industry in the EU, welcomes the adoption of the Opinions of the European Parliament’s Industry Committee and the Consumer Protection Committee. The Opinions, which will feed into the Report of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, both acknowledge the need to protect vulnerable consumers and the need for industry to continue to innovate.

 

The two votes focus on a proposal from the European Commission to repeal the current Framework for Dietetic Foods (the so-called PARNUTs Directive). The proposal threatens to place specialised food products under general food legislation which would mean that –except infants and young children and patients under medical supervision- all other consumers that need foods that are specifically designed could lose out on special food safety standards, clear information and communication procedures and possibly access to the foods they need.

 

The members of both committees oppose some aspects of the Commission proposal, recognising that vulnerable people with specific nutritional needs also need specialised nutrition and information to meet their dietary needs. IDACE defends the needs and security of these consumers, which include people suffering from coeliac disease, overweight people, sportsmen and young infants.

 

Moreover, the committee members understood the risk of impairing industry’s capacity to invest in research and development. Many members feared that the impact would be disproportionately felt by the specialised food industry which invests five times more in R&D than the normal food industry. Without further innovation, access to specialised nutrition could be put at risk. It is estimated that 90% of Europeans will need to use specialised nutrition at some points in their lives.

 

Lorenzo Ferruci, IDACE Manager, comments: “We share concerns with both the Industry and Consumer Protection Committees that a complete overhaul of the current PARNUTs rules would adversely affect adequate nutritional care for vulnerable consumers and could undermine the future of our innovative industry. As such, we are very glad to see that the committees have both endorsed Opinions reflecting the necessary legal provisions to maintain the highest level of consumer protection for vulnerable groups and to support food innovation in the specialised nutrition sector. We now call upon the Members of the Public Health and Food Safety committee to back both Opinions at their vote in February”.