The assessment of food additive usage and consumption: the Commission perspective

Directive 89/107/EEC on food additives authorized for foodstuffs intended for human consumption includes the requirement that 'all food additives must be kept under continuous observation and must be re-evaluated whenever necessary in the light of changing conditions of use and new scientific information'. During the period June 1994 to March 1995, three specific directives have been adopted, each of them including an obligation for Member States to introduce systems to monitor the usage and consumption of food additives and to report their findings to the Commission within 3 years. They also require the Commission to submit reports to the European Parliament on changes in the additives market, the levels of use and consumption, and to propose amendments to the conditions of use if necessary within 5 years. This paper examines the legal obligations of the Member States and the Commission and proposes practical interpretation of the requirements which would allow realistic and comparable monitoring systems to be set up in the Member States within the limits of their scarce resources. The importance of focusing on public health-related aspects is stressed and consideration is given to the role of the various interested parties and the nature of the Commission's co-ordination responsibility.