Inter-institutional negotiations began on Monday 14 January in Strasbourg on the proposal to reform the EU’s general food law. Negotiators from the Parliament and the Romanian Presidency of the Council, assisted by the European Commission, met for a first ‘trilogue’ on the Commission’s proposal to revise Regulation 178/2002, presented in April 2018, following the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop glyphosate’.
At this stage, Parliament and the Council have merely presented their respective positions on this reform project aimed at improving the transparency of risk assessments of certain substances (pesticides, food additives, GMOs, etc.) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The Council adopted its position on 12 December (see EUROPE 12159). Parliament had spoken a few days earlier (see EUROPE 12158).
The meeting was very short (one hour). And for good reason: the negotiators did not get into the substance, as is usually the case during a first trilogue. The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for 24 January in Brussels. The third trilogue is scheduled for February 11. “The aim is to move forward as quickly as possible to conclude in February, if possible,” a source told EUROPE, referring to the approach of the European elections. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)