The Commission has published a new Regulation that significantly tightens the restrictions on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials. It lowers the regulatory limit (specific migration limit or 'SML'), which is the amount allowed to migrate from the plastic material into food while keeping it safe, and extends this restriction to coating materials, which are used to line food and drink cans. The new Regulation also extends the ban from 2011 on the use of BPA in baby bottles by prohibiting the use of BPA to manufacture infant 'sippy' cups as well as the migration of BPA from coated materials containing food intended for infants and children 0–3 year olds. The new Regulation will apply from 6 September 2018.

More on BPA: https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/cs_fcm_qa_bisphenol_a.pdf

In December 2019, these acts will become the official controls for food of animal origin. Members of EWFC reviewed the published text and came with a short report on their findings. The text of the proposal shows that Members of the European Parliament Environment Committee, during the creation of regulation 2017/625, did a very good job of protecting the European consumers: 

"The question of who should perform meat inspections was extensively discussed during the negotiations concerning Regulation (EU) 2017/625 with the Council and the European Parliament during all stages of the ordinary legislative procedure."

The Commission also consulted the public, "The question of who should perform meat inspections was extensively discussed during the negotiations concerning Regulation (EU) 2017/625 with the Council and the European Parliament during all stages of the ordinary legislative procedure."

The conclusion may be drawn that the proposals not seem to contain obvious attempts to transfer more official controls to Food Business Operator (FBO) staff. However, EWFC continue to have concerns about some aspects of the draft. Download the EWFC report on the proposals report here.

As part of its 'Smart Regulation' policy, the DG Sante initiated in 2014 a Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT). This is a continuous process, affecting the whole policy cycle – from the design of a piece of legislation to implementation, enforcement, evaluation and, where justified, revision.
Under the first stages of this programme, the Commission has reviewed the entire stock of Union legislation and decided on follow-up actions, including 'Fitness Checks' involving comprehensive policy evaluations aimed at assessing whether the regulatory framework for a particular policy sector is 'fit for purpose'. Fitness Checks provide an evidence-based critical analysis of whether Union actions are proportionate to their objectives and delivering as expected.
Visit the EU Health and Food safety Commission website for all information, main findings and documents Fitness check on the General Food Law

EWFC inspectors and Italian food inspectors have agreed to meet in December, during the MIG or "Mostra Internazionale del Gelato Artigianale di Longarone". Both sides are eager to meet and see if there is a common interest to keep up contacts or even possibilities to join the EWFC.

MIG or "Mostra Internazionale del Gelato Artigianale di Longarone" is the oldest trade show in Europe exclusively dedicated to the artisanal gelato: along the years the value of the tradition mixed with innovation led this event to a privileged position worldwide. The next 58th MIG, scheduled in Longarone (Italy) in the Dolomiti alps, from Sunday, 3rd to Wednesday, 6th December 2017 will be focused on artisan gelato made with local products.

At the height of the egg crisis, 281 factory egg farms in the Netherlands were closed down. The farms have been stopped from selling eggs and chicken meat because their products contain too much of the banned pesticide fipronil to be sold for human consumption. A spokesman for the European Commission told a sitting of the European parliament’s agriculture committee that contaminated eggs have been found in 22 countries within and outside the EU. Several countries outside the EU have received large quantities of the eggs and eggproducts that contain contaminated eggs.

Ukraine and Oman have imposed an import ban on eggs from the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium. Meanwhile, it now transpires that the use of fipronil as a chicken de-lousing agent is more widespread than thought. In Italy a consignment of eggs from Romania has been found to have 1.2 milligrams of fipronil per kilo, the highest concentration yet found. The legal limit is 0.72 milligrams.

The Dutch contamination originated at a small company called Chickfriend. Its owners were arrested and are facing prosecution. According to a spokesperson, Chickfriend’s Belgian supplier bought the oils used as a delouser from a Romanian firm. It appears that Romania might be the source of the contaminant. The EU’s rapid alert system RASFF has also recorded reports of fipronil-contaminated eggs which were produced in Italy, Hungary, Poland and Germany as well as Romania.
EU countries are now working on recalling millions of products that were produced with contaminated eggs and egg derived profducts, that are widely used in other foods like pastry, sauces and eggbased meals and used and sold all over the world in catering and food industries.