Commission Midday Express, 8 April 2011
The European Commission welcomes the publication, today, of the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) fourth set of opinions covering more than 440 health claims on food products (also known as "Article 13 claims"). It follows the publication of the first three series of opinions published on 1 October 2009, 25 February 2010 and 19 October 2010. The four sets of opinions cover more than 2,100 health claims of the approximately 4,600 submitted for scientific advice. In total, the Member States submitted to the Commission more than 44,000 health claims. The Commission consolidated these into a list of approximately 4,600.
Due to the large number of health claims received and the delay in submissions by stakeholders to Member States, the deadline of 31 January 2010, stipulated in the Health Claims Regulation, for the adoption of a list of permitted health claims could not be met. In line with the review of the approach announced on 27 September 2010 ( IP/10/1176), EFSA is expected to finalise by the end of June 2011 its assessment of all claims on substances, other than the so-called "botanicals". The Commission will then immediately follow up in order to establish in one step the list of permitted health claims for all substances other than "botanicals".
For more information please visit: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/ndaclaims/ndaclaims13.htm and http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labellingnutrition/claims/health_claims_en.htm
For the EFSA Press Release, see: