Consultation on a new Statutory Instrument (SI) to amend the Purity Criteria for Colours, Sweeteners and Miscellaneous Food Additives (Wales) Regulations 2009

Background

The Purity Criteria for Colours, Sweeteners and Miscellaneous Food Additives (Wales) Regulations 2009 provide for the implementation of three Commission Directives:

• Commission Directive 2008/128/EC laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs
• Commission Directive 2008/60/EC laying down specific purity criteria concerning sweeteners for use in foodstuffs
• Commission Directive 2008/84/EC laying down specific purity criteria for food additives other than colours and sweeteners.

An error in the Welsh text of the Purity Criteria for Colours, Sweeteners and Miscellaneous Food Additives (Wales) Regulations 2009 has been identified by the Subordinate Legislation Committee of the National Assembly for Wales. In the Welsh text, Regulation 3(2)(a) refers to omitting the definition of 'Directive 95/45/EC' in the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995; this is incorrect and should refer to the omitting of 'Directive 95/31/EC' as per the English text at Regulation 3(2)(a). The purpose of the proposed Purity Criteria for Colours, Sweeteners and Miscellaneous Food Additives (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 is to correct this error in the Welsh text.

A copy of the draft Regulations can be viewed below for information and comment. In this instance, parallel legislation is not required in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

As no changes of substance have been made to any of the existing purity criteria, no financial or other impact on industry is foreseen, and we therefore have not drawn up an Impact Assessment to accompany the draft Regulations. For this reason we have also reduced the usual three month consultation period to four weeks. Therefore the consultation will close on 28 July 2009.

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. Responses will be open to public access upon request. The FSA will also publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name and contact address details. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator by email: consultationcoordinator@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk