Food Law News - UK - 2003


FSA News Item, 19 March 2003

WATER - Update on bottled water legislation

(Note that the information given here relates to the Scottish consultation but similar issues arise in England and Wales)

This is an update on the progress of: (i) the Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2003, and (ii) the transposition of the new Directive setting limits for toxic substances in natural mineral water, and laying down conditions of use for ozone in natural mineral water and spring water.

The Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2003.

Two consultations have been carried out, and the final draft of the Regulations has been submitted for technical notification. Unfortunately, the Commission was not satisfied with some aspects of the Regulations; specifically, the limits that were proposed for natural mineral waters described as suitable for infant feeding.
Consequently, the Regulations have been split into two separate sets of Amending Regulations so that those transposing Directive 98/83/EC can be laid while the issues raised by the Commission relating to limits for natural mineral water claiming to be suitable for infant feeding can be resolved.

The SSI transposes only the provisions of Directive 98/83/EC. These Regulations were signed by the Minister on 6th March 2003.

Once the issues raised by the Commission have been resolved, it is the Scottish FSA intention to proceed with a (possibly short) consultation on a second set of Amending Regulations that relate to the infant feeding claim, before submitting these Regulations to the Commission for a second notification.

The New Directive

The final version of the new Directive setting limits for toxic substances in natural mineral water, and laying down conditions for use of ozone in natural mineral water and spring water has yet to be published. Once the SSI has been drafted, a consultation will take place.


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