Food product companies marketing products containing ingredients not harmonised in the European Union (EU) could use the new mutual recognition Regulation to help ensure access to all EU markets, international food and nutrition regulatory consultancy EAS has said.

Leading a workshop this month on how to apply the EU’s new mutual recognition Regulation in food law, EAS experts Patrick Coppens and Elodie Lebastard demonstrated how essential it is for companies to understand and apply mutual recognition when marketing their food and nutritional products across the 27 Member States of the EU.

The workshop, which took place in Brussels on 17 September, covered the practical applications of the principle of mutual recognition, with Coppens and Lebastard giving guidance on the rights and procedures for the food sector according to the new mutual recognition Regulation, on what is harmonised and what is not, on how to apply mutual recognition in borderline case as well as ways of making complaints, and explaining the mandatory rules with which all EU Member States must comply.

“It is surprising that companies continue to face so many barriers to trade in the EU internal market,” said Mr Coppens. “We recognise that it is important to clarify for companies when and how to use the principle of mutual recognition to their advantage. Having in depth knowledge of the new mutual recognition Regulation is a prerequisite for maximising the market potential of their products in the EU.”

ENDS

EAS provides strategic consulting advice on European, Asian and international regulation on food and nutritional products. It provides companies with regulatory and strategic advice for the marketing and approval of their products in Europe and Asia.

EAS also advises governments, trade associations and companies on the impact of European, Asian and global policy. EAS has offices in Brussels, Italy and Singapore. EAS Italy is a branch of EAS Europe located in northern Italy to follow EFSA developments in Parma closely.

Contact EAS Europe at EAS, 50 Rue de l’Association, 1000 Brussels,
tel: (+32) (0) 2 218 14 70, email [email protected] or visit www.eas.eu

Contact EAS Asia EAS Strategic Advice Pte Ltd, 3 Killiney Road, 07- 04 Winsland House I, Singapore 239519, tel: (+65) 68 38 12 70, email: [email protected] or visit www.eas.asia