Brussels
The food and drinks industry constitutes the largest manufacturing sector in the EU, leading in terms of turnover (15.6%), added value (13%) and employment (15.2%) (FoodDrink Europe 2016). Protecting the health of European citizens whilst enabling the food industry to operate in the best possible conditions is of paramount importance for the European institutions, which have introduced very strong policy frameworks that safeguard food from farm to fork.
On 8th June 2018, the European Commission published a notice on questions and answers related to the application of Regulations (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of the Food Information to Consumers (FIC entered into force in 2016), intended to assist food business operators and national authorities in the application . Clear information on the origin, content/labelling and use of food is a priority for the EU food safety policy and aims at guaranteeing high standards of animal he alth, welfare and plant protection. Moreover, the new Single Market Programme legislative proposal, made specific provisions aimed at enhancing Food Safety. The provisions are organised around maintaining and enhancing high EU standards for animal and plant health; raising funds to support the production of food; preventing and eradicating animal diseases and plant pests as well as preventing food fraud.
Despite these measures, further actions are needed to enhance public trust in food safety standards, which has been shaken in the last years. Issues like the “dual-food” scandal, the fipronil in eggs scandal in 2017 and discussions about the use of pesticides such as ‘glyphosate’ have been at the centre of a controversy which has greatly impacted public trust. Investigations conducted by governments of Central and Eastern European countries found that multinational food companies had been selling products of lower quality ingredients in the EU’s newer member states, while marketing them with the same packaging and branding used in Western Europe. In an effort to address this issue, in April 2018 the Commission announced it would prohibit dual quality food across the EU. It also presented a proposal aimed at restoring public trust in scientific studies on food safety, suggesting more transparency in decision-making and greater involvement of member states’ experts.
In light of these recent developments, this international symposium provides a timely and invaluable opportunity for food safety experts, government agencies, food industry representatives and other key stakeholders to discuss the latest European regulatory updates regarding food safety, agriculture policy, transparent information to consumers including allergen, animals and plants health. It will also allow delegates to assess the current and future perspectives of the EU’s food law system and of its action at the worldw ide level.
Delegates will:
- Review the Food Information to Consumers regulation and evaluate its amendments
- Gain insight into recent trends in labelling of food products
- Learn about comprehensive legislation on food and animal feed safety
- Share best practice on how to ensure worldwide imports meet EU food safety requirements
- Discussing the diverging assessments of glyphosate’s carcinogenicity
- Explore ways to reinstate public trust in food safety and review the proposed measures
- Address the issue of dual food standards and engage with the new Directive
- Explore ways to achieve effective rules enforcement and checks
To view our brochure, including the full event programme, click here.
I am pleased to advise you that we offer a 20% early registration discount off the standard delegate rates (subject to type of organisation and terms and conditions) for bookings received by the 21st December 2018. Do feel free to circulate this information to relevant colleagues within your organisation.
In the meantime, to ensure your organisation is represented, please book online or complete and return the attached registration form at your earliest convenience in order to secure your delegate place(s).
Kind regards,
Conference Team
Public Policy Exchange
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3137 8630
Fax: +44 (0) 20 3137 1459