EHCA to Launch Results of Economic Impact Assessment in Debate on Claims

The impact assessment, commissioned by EHCA, evaluates the potential economic impact that the current application of Article 13 of the claims regulation (the ”Regulation”) will have on the food sector.

24 Jun 2010 --- The results of the independent, economic impact assessment on Article 13 of the EU’s claims regulation will be presented for the first time at the European Health Claims Alliance (EHCA) event on 30 September in Brussels.

The results of the impact assessment will kick-start the debate on Article 13 generic health claims, at the event hosted by EHCA entitled: In search of Solutions: A Stakeholder Dialogue on Article 13 health claims.

The impact assessment, commissioned by EHCA, evaluates the potential economic impact that the current application of Article 13 of the claims regulation (the ”Regulation”) will have on the food sector.

“Many companies are deeply concerned about the potential impact the Regulation will have on their future operations, and in particular the negative effects the piece-meal approach to the adoption of a Community list of permitted health claims will have on the industry” said Patrice Michelang, spokesperson for EHCA. “EHCA will be delighted to present the results of the impact assessment, which was carried out by a well-qualified independent expert and which will serve as the basis for a much-needed constructive debate on the Regulation with all stakeholders”.

With speakers from the European institutions, national authorities, academics, consumers and industry, key issues such as the economic impact of the Regulation on the industry; the promotion of competition, innovation and research and development in the wake of the Claims Regulation; national issues relating to enforcement of the Regulation in practice; consumer information needs; and consumer understanding of health claims will addressed at the EHCA conference.

“Three years after the adoption of the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, companies feel there is a strong need to initiate a constructive dialogue on the EU’s current application of it, and EHCA has therefore decided to organise this high level conference,” said Patrice Michelang. “At such a crucial time in the discussions, it is important that the European Commission, industry, consumers, national authorities alike meet to discuss those issues that are paramount to them and that will shape the future of communications within the food sector. With the involvement of all stakeholders, this event will be the largest of its kind and the first to discuss what workable solutions we envisage.”

EHCA is an alliance of companies from across the food and nutrition sector, formed to ensure that the concerns of companies on article 13 claims are heard directly, and to promote a constructive dialogue with all stakeholders. EHCA coordinated the signing of the Health Claims Letter to the Commission President Barroso earlier this year, which received over 470 signatures from senior managements of largely small and medium sized companies within the industry.