Brussels, 13/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 12 May, during a trialogue meeting, the EU institutions failed to reach an agreement on EU rules for novel foods. Negotiations particularly focused on the question of cloning and whether novel foods should be adopted by delegated or implementing acts.
The negotiations in 2011 on novel foods broke down on the question of cloning. The Commission produced three proposals (one of them covering the mechanism on new foods and to specific proposals on cloning).
The trilogue on 12 May exclusively focused on the proposed regulation on novel foods. Certain progress was made during the meeting on references to the regulation on “novel foods” and specific directives on cloning. It should be pointed out that the current regulation covers food products deriving from cloning but not those on their offshoots.
On another controversial subject, the EP is continuing to call for delegated acts to authorise food products. The European Commission is opposed to this because this would go against the objective of the new regulation, namely, simplifying and speeding up the authorisation procedure, whilst maintaining a high level of protection for public health.
The Latvian Presidency of the Council informed Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives to the EU member states) on Wednesday, 13 May about the results from the trialogue and the latter is expected to return to this dossier next week. One source indicated that “Everything is still open”. (Lionel Changeur)