Food Law News - EU - 2010


Commission Midday Express, 26 November 2010

CONTACT MATERIALS - Bisphenol A : Commission welcomes ban in baby bottles by Member States

This afternoon, the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health reached a qualified majority on a proposal from the European Commission on a Directive to ban Bisphenol A from plastic infant feeding bottles. The measure will enter into force as of mid-2011. This is the result of months of discussion and exchange of views between the Commission's services, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), the Member States and the industry.

Reacting to the vote, John Dalli, Commissioner in charge of Health and Consumer Policy, said : "This is good news for European consumers. In the view of the recent opinion of EFSA, I had stressed that there were areas of uncertainty, deriving from new studies, which showed that BPA might have an effect on the development, immune response or tumour promotion. The decision taken today is good news for European parents who can be sure that as of mid-2011 plastic infant feeding bottles will not include BPA". Following today's vote, Member States will have to prohibit the manufacture of polycarbonate infant feeding bottles with BPA from 1st March 2011. As from 1st June 2011, the placing on the market and the importation into the Union of these bottles will be prohibited.


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