Transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain
The Regulation (EU) 2019/1381 on the transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain, published on 6 September 2019 in OJ, amends the General Food Law Regulation ((EC) No 178/2002) laying down the general principles of food law, as well as eight sector-specific legislative acts, concerning genetically modified organisms, feed additives, smoke flavourings, food contact materials, food additives, food enzymes and flavourings, plant protection products and novel foods.
On 11 April 2018, the European Commission published a proposal, which followed the European Citizens Initiative on glyphosate, and specifically the concerns voiced regarding the studies to be used in the evaluation of pesticides. In order to address these concerns, the Commission proposed to strengthen the transparency in the risk assessment process and provide additional guarantees of reliability, objectivity and independence of the studies used by EFSA in risk assessments. The proposal also followed the fitness check of the General Food Law Regulation, which identified the need to improve the transparency in the EU decision-making cycle as well as the need to safeguard the European Food Safety Authority's ability to get access to a sufficiently high number of qualified and multidisciplinary scientific experts.
Rapporteur: Pilar Ayuso (EPP)
Shadows: P. Poc (S&D), A. Gericke (ECR), F. Federley (ALDE), M. Häusling (Greens/EFA), A. Hazekamp (GUE/NGL).