WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2077/97 by Riccardo GAROSCI to the Commission. Labelling of packaged foodstuffs
C 21/140 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 1. 98 (98/C 21/261) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2077/97 by Riccardo Garosci (UPE) to the Commission (11 June 1997) Subject: Labelling of packaged foodstuffs Given that, according to the findings of scientific studies available from Commission DG XII, over one million Italian consumers suffer from disorders caused by allergies to various types of food, while in the European Union as a whole there are estimated to be more than seven million such sufferers (2% of the population), a new Regulation on the labelling of packaged foodstuffs should be introduced with a view to protecting the health of European consumers. Under the current EU Regulation ingredients comprising less than 25% of a given product are not subject to labelling requirements. Can the Commission amend the EU Regulation on the labelling of both products packaged within the EU and foodstuffs imported from third countries, so as to enable allergy sufferers to determine the exact proportions of all the ingredients present in packaged foodstuffs? The Commission should note that, according to reliable scientific evidence, even very small quantities (less than 1%) are sufficient to produce a serious reaction in anyone allergic to a given foodstuff. Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (2 July 1997) The Commission is currently studying the need to amend Directive 79/112/EEC on the labelling of foodstuffs (1) so as to provide better information for persons suffering from a food allergy or intolerance. Eighteen months ago, at the Commission’s request, the Scientific Committee for Food finalised a report on scientific knowledge in this area. As the Honourable Member points out, a more general study in this field › Study of nutritional factors in food allergies and food intolerancesí (2) › was published at the beginning of this year at the Commission’s initiative. This work is to be supplemented, within the framework of scientific cooperation between the Member States and the Commission, by a review of available epidemiological data (effect, intake, geographical variations, frequency and degree of hypersensitivity). This is a necessary step in defining the criteria for drawing up a list of ingredients recognised to be a source of allergy or intolerance and which, when used in a foodstuff, should have to appear in the list of ingredients indicated on the label. On the basis of the results of this epidemiological survey, due at the end of this year, the Commission might be in a position to adopt a proposal to amend Directive 79/112/EEC. (1) OJ L 33, 8. 2. 1979, as last amended by Directive 97/4/EC › OJ L 43, 14. 2. 1997. (2) EUR/16893 (AIR1 › 93 › 8012-IT). (98/C 21/262) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2084/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (19 June 1997) Subject: JRC in Ispra The Staff Regulations applicable to EU officials expressly forbid officials to engage in outside employment, even if it is linked to the duties carried out for the institution for which they work. It would appear that a senior official at the JRC in Ispra is also managing director or chairman of various companies located in northern Italy. Does the Commission consider this situation to be in line with the provisions of the Staff Regulations?