Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners'
23. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 51/27 Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 95/2/EC on food additives other than colours and sweeteners’ (2000/C 51/06) On 6 October 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 95 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal. The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 15 November 1999. The rapporteur was Mr Wilkinson. At its 368th plenary session on 8 and 9 December 1999 (meeting of 9 December), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 102 votes to one with four abstentions. 1. Introduction 1. 1. Directive 95/2/EC is based on the principle of the positive list. It contains a list of authorised food additives, the foodstuffs in which they may be used and the conditions for their use. This arrangement ensures transparency and food safety, thus allowing free trade in foodstuffs throughout the EU. Additives not listed may not be used in foodstuffs, 1. 2. although new additives may be authorised for use for a period of 2 years by any Member State on its own territory. If, during this period, the Commission proposes that the additives in question should be authorised at EU level, their use is allowed for an additional 18 months to allow for the necessary legislative changes. Brussels, 9 December 1999. 1. 3. The amendment proposed would be the third amend- ment to the original Directive 95/2/EC. It includes both new additives and new applications for some additives that are already authorised. 2. Comments The Committee notes that some of the substances 2. 1. covered by this amendment have uses other than additives, but these uses are not considered in this opinion. The Committee also notes that the Commission has 2. 2. already evaluated the technical needs of all the additives proposed. The Scientific Committee on Food has examined their food safety and allocated Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) that are satisfactory for the proposed uses. 2. 3. The Committee therefore supports the proposal. The President of the Economic and Social Committee Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI