Monsanto has won permission to import and market three of its
genetically modified (GM) maize types across the EU for 10 years,
despite fierce opposition from some Member States.
The EU has ordered Greece to lift its ban on genetically modified
(GMO) maize seeds, setting the scene for yet another battle over
the controversial technology.
A UK company has applied for approval of its noni juice products on
the grounds that it is 'substantially equivalent' to other products
that have already been authorised.
Global trade in caviar, one of the world's most expensive foods,
has been put on hold in a desperate attempt to protect increasingly
endangered populations of sturgeon.
The European Commission has adopted a proposal for new regulations
for organic production and labelling, which makes the use of the EU
logo or wording obligatory for all organic food products sold in EU
member states.
The last-minute deal to scrap export subsidies by 2013, agreed at
last week's WTO meeting, has been greeted with a sense of
inevitability and caution in Europe's dairy sector.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has received the primary
data for Ramazzini Foudation's recent study on the sweetener
aspartame and is commencing its risk assessment as a matter of
priority.
The UK's Food Standards Agency has received an application for a
phytosterols ingredient to be approved as 'substantially
equivalent' to one already on the market.
Complex webs of assumptions are spinning a lie about the real value
of today's companies, lulling directors and shareholders alike into
a false sense of value creation.
European and US food regulators will never be able to fully tackle
issues relating to nutrition and obesity unless they work together,
claims a pressure group.
Pessimism and intransigence from both Europe and the US means that
next week's vital WTO trade talks in Hong Kong will collapse in
embarrassing failure unless concessions are made fast.
The FAO's warning that urgent policy reform is needed comes just
days before the make-or-break WTO Hong Kong summit on liberalising
agricultural trade.
The UK food industry has criticised the Food Standard Agency
(FSA)'s latest nutrient profiling model for being 'subjective' and
'having no rational scientific basis'.
The draft WTO Hong Kong ministerial declaration is considerably
less ambitious than the stated original objectives of the meeting,
according to the European food industry.
From 25 November, the new rules, introduced by EC Directive
89/2003, will require pre-packed foods sold in the European Union
to show clearly on the label if they contain any of 12 listed
allergenic foods as an ingredient.
The EU is confident that the sugar reforms announced last week give
producers a long-term competitive future, though firms such as Tate
& Lyle remain cautious.
Sugar users in the UK have cautiously welcomed the Council of
Ministers' agreement to lower European sugar prices, but have
demanded a more competitive future marketplace.
The Codex nutrition committee made little headway on draft health
claims recommendations this week but discussion looks set to
advance more rapidly next year, with new input from member
countries.
Denmark is to pay compensation in cases where conventional or
organic production has suffered economic losses following
genetically modified (GM) material contamination.
The resumption of trade negotiations between the EU and
Mediterranean countries is vital for the expansion of lucrative new
markets, according to the CIAA.
Four key factors will determine whether this week's EU discussions
regarding the sugar regime have been a success or a failure, says a
key industry body.
A panel of global food experts may start their first debate on
health claims this week, with the topic once again on the agenda at
the Codex meeting in Bonn.
The FSA's backing of a 'multiple traffic light' (MTL) labelling
initiative comes a day after the UK food industry promised a
voluntary guideline on daily amounts (GDA).
A House of Commons select committee report on reform of the EU
sugar regime has been welcomed by a sugar users lobby group
demanding action at next week's council of ministers meeting.
A European rosemary extract firm believes that if the EU allows the
ingredient to be labelled as an antioxidant, the sector could turn
solid growth into rocketing sales.
Europe's food industry will significantly benefit from a
satisfactory WTO agreement, but for this to happen the EU must
maintain its multilateral approach and issues such as export
support must be addressed.
EuropaBio has slammed the EU Agricultural Council's decision to
uphold a Greek ban on genetically modified (GM) corn, claiming that
the judgement flies in the face of EFSA advice on biotech crops.
EU farm ministers clash yet again on the contentious issue of GM
food ingredients, failing to clear a new GMO corn from US biotech
firm for import into the EU bloc.
Europe's watchdog continues to wade through the risk assessment of
1000 flavouring substances, concluding that seven out of eight in
the latest batch need more data to determine 'reliable exposure'.
This week's passage of the so-called Cheeseburger Bill looks like a
straightforward victory for food makers, but the industry should
still be wary over the possibility of future litigation.