WRITTEN QUESTION E-0402/01 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Promoting the sales of foodstuffs by adding healthy substances.
Date: 2001-02-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: adjuvant, agro-industry, consumer information, food inspection, foodstuffs legislation, health risk, human nutrition, labelling, margarine, processed food product

C 318 E/44

Official Journal of the European Communities

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13.11.2001

Can the Commission confirm that cholesterol-reducing margarines can be harmful to persons with
3.
special dietary requirements, in particular pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and children under
five, and to those taking cholesterol-reducing medicines?

How does the Commission assess the call by consumer organisations for these so-called (cid:145)target-group(cid:146)
4.
products to be displayed in supermarkets only in separate, readily identifiable areas, where they will not be
bought inadvertently by those not familiar with their special characteristics?

5. Why has no action been taken hitherto requiring warnings against the harmful effects referred to in
paragraph 3 above to be printed in large characters on packaging, and why has such information hitherto
either been omitted entirely (e.g. (cid:145)Benecol(cid:146)) or printed in a minuscule font surrounded by a multiplicity of
other information (e.g. (cid:145)Becel pro-activ(cid:146))?

6. Will the Commission act to have it made compulsory for a warning about the harmful effects
referred to in paragraph 3 above to be prominently printed in large type?

(2001/C 318 E/045)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0402/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: Promoting the sales of foodstuffs by adding (cid:145)healthy(cid:146) substances

1.
Does the Commission intend to allow the harmful effects of ingredients such as fat and sugar in all-
butter biscuits, liquorice and hot dogs to be offset by adding sterols, with the intention that producers will
accordingly be entitled to sell these products with a note to the effect that they improve the consumer(cid:146)s
health?

2. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the widely varying rules on claims made by manufacturers
concerning the promotion of health, or the absence of such rules in the Member States of the European
Union, where the same large companies sell the same products with the same characteristics?

3. What opportunities are available to Member States to keep such foodstuffs off their domestic markets
if there is no European policy subjecting the production and marketing of such products to strict rules?

4. What does the Commission intend to do to contribute towards better
information on the
characteristics, the truth content and the risks of substances added to foodstuffs which producers claim
will promote health?

5.
Does the Commission see any possibility of cutting down on health claims by manufacturers and
making such claims subject to rules based on scientific research, sound information, control and sanctions?

6. What other proposals in this area can the European Parliament expect within the foreseeable future?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0401/01 and E-0402/01
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2001)

A product containing phytosterol-esters has been approved under Regulation (EC) No258/97 of the
Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients (1).
Under Commission Decision 2000/500/EC of 24 July 2000 on authorising the placing on the market of
food ingredient under
(cid:145)yellow fat spreads with added phytosterol esters(cid:146) as a novel

food or novel

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the Parliament and of the Council (2), a claim regarding the effects of
phytosterol-esters on blood cholesterol
levels has been approved. In addition supplementary labelling
requirements for that product were also mandatory.

In the assessment of this product no unacceptable risks for human health have been revealed. However, if
regularly eaten the Beta-carotene levels in the blood serum are shown to be lowered, but still remain in the
(cid:145)normal(cid:146) range. Therefore, as a precautionary measure it was made compulsory to state on the label that
the product is intended for people who wish to control their blood cholesterol and that it is not
recommended for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and children under five.

Regarding the population in general the Scientific Committee on Food stated in its opinion that (cid:145)Given the
overall evaluation of the submitted information the Committee concludes that the use of phytosterol-esters
in yellow fat spreads at a maxmium level corresponding to 8 % free phytosterol is safe for human use(cid:146).

The Commission is aware of the varying rules on claims on foodstuffs. Claims should be truthful and
substantiated. For this reason the Commission announced in its White Paper on Food Safety (3) its intention
to consider whether specific provisions should be introduced in Community legislation to govern
(cid:145)functional claims(cid:146) and (cid:145)nutritional claims(cid:146) on foodstuffs. A discussion paper on this issue will be available
shortly, and on the basis of the comments received the Commission intends to prepare a legislative
proposal. The Commission foresees to adopt a proposal at the end of 2001.

Under current Community legislation (Article 2 of Directive 2000/13/EC of the Parliament and of the
Council, of 20 March 2000, on the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (4)) the attribution
to any foodstuff of the property of preventing, treating or curing a human disease, or reference to such
properties, is prohibited.

As for the presentation of the information particulars on the label of foodstuffs, Directive 2000/13/EC
does not specify the font to use on the labels of food products. However, it requires all labelling particulars
to be easy to understand and marked in a conspicuous place to be easily visible, clearly legible and
indelible; they shall not in any way be hidden, obscured or interrupted by other written or pictorial matter.

As far as controls and sanctions are concerned, the Member States, on the basis of Community rules, carry
out controls. However, sanctions are strictly the prerogative of Member States.

(1) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997.
(2) OJ L 200, 8.8.2000.
(3) COM(1999) 719 final.
(4) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.

(2001/C 318 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0407/01

by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (PSE) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: Competitive disadvantages for ships with catalytic converters

Shipping companies which have fitted their ships with catalytic converters and use low-sulphur bunker oil
have great difficulty in procuring that type of oil. The result of this situation is that companies wishing to
invest in environment-friendly transport suffer a sharp increase in costs which, naturally, benefits their
competitors.

Bunker oil with a 1 % sulphur content is produced only at Flushing and Brofjorden. One percent sulphur
bunker oil is between USD 10 and 15 more expensive than oil with a 3 % sulphur content. In addition,
there is a further charge of USD 10 for transporting the oil out to ships for loading. In total,
it is
USD 20-25 more expensive to use low-sulphur oil. With the current price of oil standing at USD 170 per
ton, this signifies a 12 % higher cost margin. At an annual consumption of 25 000 tons of oil, that results
in current conditions in an additional cost of DKK 5 million, which amounts to distortion of competition