A cross-party group of MPs has backed a House of Commons Motion warning of job losses and store closures if restrictive levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements are set under the terms of the Food Supplements Directive
The Motion has been tabled just days before the Head of the Food Law Unit of DG SANCO, Basil Mathioudakis, speaks at a major industry conference at which he is billed to be setting out the timelines for the process
Marcus Jones (Cons); Kate Hoey (Lab) and Dr John Pugh (Lib Dem) who lead the signatories of the Motion are also tabling a raft of written Parliamentary questions to keep the issue high on the political agenda.
Commenting today, Consumers for Health Choice Director of Strategy, Chris Whitehouse, says: “The Motion reminds the European Union of the implacable opposition of the United Kingdom Parliament to the loss of any products already on the market and accepted as safe by the competent authorities because they comply with the provisions of food law already, namely that they are safe and appropriately labelled.”
Mathioudakis will also be commenting on the Commission’s plans to bring botanical supplements into the same position as vitamins and minerals. “This too causes us profound concern” adds Whitehouse “given that the introduction of other legislation on herbal products has already had a major impact upon on consumer choice.”
