WRITTEN QUESTION E-1456/99 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission. Functional foods.
C 219 E/4 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 (2000/C 219 E/005) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1456/99 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Functional foods Can the Commission explain its objections to the new Unilever cholesterol-lowering margarine which was initially approved by the Novel Foods Committee in the Netherlands? (2000/C 219 E/006) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1457/99 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Functional foods Does the Commission feel that it is justified to delay the launch of the Unilever cholesterol-lowering margarine, considering that a similar product made by Raisio in Finland is already on the market in Finland and will be marketed in several EU countries by McNiels? (2000/C 219 E/007) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1458/99 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Functional foods Does the Commission believe that the Finnish brand of cholesterol-lowering margarine, produced by Raisio, should be investigated further now that concerns have been raised over the launch of Unileverís equivalent brand? Joint answer to Written Questions E-1455/99, E-1456/99, E-1457/99 and E-1458/99 given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (15 October 1999) The Commission does not intend to propose new Community provisions for the labelling of so-called áfunctional foodsí. This category does not currently exist in Community law, and the products concerned are therefore subject to the general provisions of Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 (1) on the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer. In 1997, Unilever submitted in the Netherlands a request for placing on the Community market a yellow fat spread with added phytosterol-esters, under Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients (2). Unilever must have considered that its product was not substantially equivalent to the product made in Finland by Raisio, as it did not invoke Article 3(4) of Regulation (EC) No 258/97 which lays down an abbreviated procedure for products which are substantially equivalent to existing foods or food ingredients. The Commission itself did not the Dutch authorities concerning the Unilever product. Reasoned objections were however presented by several Member States; hence an authorisation can only be granted under the procedure laid down in Article 13 of formulate objections to the initial assessment report of