Plea for health claims reform goes to European Parliament president
“The current implementation of Articles 13.1-13.3 of the claims Regulation is inappropriate and disproportionate to the aims that it was created to achieve,” the letter to German MEP Martin Schulz states.
“The consequence of which could be damaging to consumers and to the sector with a potential decrease in retail sales of over one billion euros and a commensurate loss of jobs.”
As of today the letter had 322 signatories including Arkopharma, BioReal, Capsugel, Clasado, Indena, Merck Consumer Healthcare, Naturex, Nexira, Polar Pharma, Solgar France and Vitabiotics.
The letter says the regulation is failing in:
- Consumer protection;
- Legal certainty;
- Protection of SMEs;
- Innovation in the sector; and
- Fair competition
“The consequence of the way in which the regulation is being implemented could be damaging to consumers and to the sector, with a potential decrease in retail sales of over one billion euros and a commensurate loss of jobs,” said EHCA spokesperson Patrice Michelang.
“The regulation’s terms of reference have explicit instructions, however these provisions for a more proportionate application of the Regulation’s Article 13.1 has been consistently ignored, despite the fact that the European Parliament itself fought to have it included during the negotiations when this regulation was adopted.”
“In our letter we call on the European Parliament to ask the European Commission to re-consider claims that have been given unfavourable opinions; to give clear instructions to re-evaluate the claims the way that was originally intended by the regulation, and to avoid unjustly devastating a sector because of an inappropriate approach.”
