Speakers at a workshop held earlier this month in Brussels and organised by nutrition consultancy EAS highlighted the importance of understanding the regulation when marketing food and nutritional products across EU’s 27 member states.
“It is surprising that companies continue to face so many barriers to trade in the EU internal market,” said Patrick Coppens, secretary general of the European Responsible Nutrition Alliance (ERNA).
“We recognise that it is important to clarify for companies when and how to use the principle of mutual recognition to their advantage. Having in depth knowledge of the new mutual recognition Regulation is a prerequisite for maximising the market potential of their products in the EU.”
Market entry
Adopted last year and effective as of May 2009, the mutual recognition regulation clarifies national rules on market entry for industry players, health authorities and other officials, allowing companies to be better aware of the procedures available when facing ‘technical’ rules that may restrict or force the reformulation of a product to enter certain markets.
While outlining existing regulations on launching products nationally, the EU legislation also calls on member states to establish Product Contact Points that can inform manufacturers of specific challenges of entering a country.
The EAS workshop, which took place on September 17, covered the practical applications of the principle of mutual recognition.
Coppens and other speakers gave guidance on the rights and procedures for the food sector according to the new mutual recognition regulation, on what is harmonised and what is not, and on how to apply mutual recognition in borderline case.
The workshop also covered ways of making complaints and the mandatory rules that apply to all EU member states.
Industry support
The European Federation of Associations of Health Product Manufacturers (EHPM) has also praised the new regulation, noting that it has the potential to act as a “vital tool” for companies in the food supplements sector and beyond.
The rule is expected to have a particularly liberating effect for non-vitamin and mineral substances not already covered in the Food Supplements Directive and other harmonising regulations.
However, although industry groups all agree that the new legislation is a positive step forward, implementation of these rules remains a key issue.