Jan O'Sullivan
Ceist:76 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when food standards (details supplied) will be adopted in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20832/99]
Written Answers. - Food Standards.
The Deputy is referring to draft amendments to joint FAO-WHO food standards, elaborated by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. At the twenty-third session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, held in Rome on 28 June to 3 July 1999, and at which the Departments of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Health and Children were represented, I am informed that the draft amendments to the general standard were adopted at step eight as follows: the Draft Recommendations – List of Food and Ingredients – with the addition of the footnote to the effect that future additions to and-or deletions from the list will be considered by the Committee on Food Labelling, taking into account advice received from the relevant scientific advisory body; and the draft amendment on composite ingredients – 25 per cent Rule amended to 5 per cent – as proposed by the Committee on Food Labelling.
I understand that when a codex standard is adopted at step eight, it does not become automatically applicable in the member countries of the codex. There is an acceptance procedure, in accordance with which members voluntarily change their legislation to meet the newly adopted codex standard. I further understand that, where the EU is concerned, in cases where a codex standard differs from that in EU legislation, the decision on whether that legislation should be amended in order to accept the codex standard is taken at EU level.
In the specific case mentioned by the Deputy, there are already detailed rules at EU level on the labelling of pre-packaged foods, including those pertaining to designation of ingredients, which are set out in European Communities Directive 79/112/EEC (as amended). My Department was responsible for transposing this directive into national law, by virtue of the European Communities (Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 1982, as amended. No doubt the European Commission will be examining the implications of the new codex standards for this existing EU legislation, all the more so since the Commission is currently preparing a White Paper on food safety, including a review of food labelling provisions.