Luxembourg/Brussels, 28/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - Consumers should be informed of the harmful effects on their health of over-consumption of trans fatty acids contained in many manufactured foods, stated the Health Council which met informally in Luxembourg on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September.
Ministers keenly await the report by the European Commission due to be published very shortly, assessing the best way forward on this issue, which may include compulsory European rules. The report will be brought forward “in the coming months”, promised Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis.
Ministers discussed the effects on health of trans fatty acids and ways to better monitor these food ingredients over lunch on 24 September. “We are all agreed: citizens are not well enough informed about the effects of excessive consumption of trans fatty acids. It is in our common interest to inform citizens correctly … focusing on manufactured foods”, stated Luxembourg minister Lydia Mutsch. “All member states are keen to receive the report and are awaiting it so they can adopt their position. … The approach is pretty unanimous, the final decision will be taken after the report is published”, added Andriukaitis (our translations).
At this point, member states can be divided into two groups as to which is the best policy to regulate trans fatty acids, said the Luxembourg minister. Some are tending more to independent national approaches, with the cooperation of the agri-food industry. This would mean that the trans fatty acid content in foodstuffs and the maximum permitted threshold would be set on a voluntary basis. A second group of member states is more in favour of binding European legislation and these countries have called on the Commission to set a maximum trans fatty acid content for food. The member states as a whole are of the view, however, that, at the moment, the public is not being fully informed and believe that detailed information should be given on the packaging of manufactured food, added Mutsch. Ministers stated that over-consumption of trans fatty acids could cause cardiovascular diseases and were unanimous in stating that discussions had to be continued on this point. They called for the Commission to publish its report without delay. Andriukaitis said that the Commission was behind schedule because it had consulted stakeholders at length. At present, it is considering whether binding European legislation on trans fatty acids, which does not currently exist, should be introduced, the commissioner added. (Original version in French by Isabelle Lamberty)