21/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 20 February, MEPs of the European Parliament's Environment Committee endorsed – by 56 votes in favour, 2 against, 1 abstention – the interinstitutional agreement reached on 11 February regarding the reform of the EU's general food law aimed at increasing the transparency of EFSA's risk assessments on the food chain (see EUROPE 12192). This reform, proposed in response to the European Citizens' Initiative ‘Stop glyphosate’, provides in particular for: - the publication of data and information submitted by industry within the context of an application for authorisation of substances (pesticides, food additives or other substances) according to specific criteria, and unless confidentiality must be respected; - the establishment of a database of all scientific studies commissioned to prevent industry from concealing certain studies; - the possibility for EFSA itself to carry out verification studies in the event of controversial scientific issues. (AN)