On Wednesday 17 April in Strasbourg, the European Parliament confirmed by an overwhelming majority (603 votes in favour, 17 against, 27 abstentions) the provisional Interinstitutional Agreement reached last February on the reform of the EU's general food law, which will ensure greater transparency and reliability for EFSA's risk assessments for substances such as pesticides and food additives (see EUROPE 12192/19).
The revision of the EU's General Food Law (Regulation 178/2002) had been proposed by the Commission in response to a demand from the ‘Stop Glyphosate' European Citizens' Initiative, which had collected 1.3 million signatures ahead of the controversial five-year renewal of the glyphosate licence in November 2017 (see EUROPE 11924/14).
The agreed text provides in particular for the establishment of a Common European Database of all scientific studies commissioned by industry and on which EFSA relies - a key measure to allow the analysis of studies by third parties and to deter companies applying for authorisation from withholding unfavourable studies.
Such transparency will be the rule as soon as the file has been accepted by EFSA, unless the applicant company proves that disclosure could significantly harm its interests.
In the opinion of rapporteur Pilar Ayuso González (EPP, Spain), this text "will improve public trust and confidence in the decision-making process”. The EU Council will be able to adopt the revised Regulation, which will become applicable just before 2020. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)