UK National Food Labelling Provisions

The national labelling provisions are being reviewed with the objective of either removing them or seeking to retain them at European level. The Agency seeks comments on the options and recommendations set out in the attached Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA).

The labelling provisions in question are:

• Provident Societies — Regulation 4(3)(b)
• Charities — Regulation 4(3)(c)
• Fortified Flour — Regulation 18(1)(e)
• Added Ingredients — Regulation 18(2)
• Manner of Presentation flexibility — Regulations 20(3)(b) and 21(3)(b)
• Flour Confectionery — Regulation 23(1)(b)
• Minor accompaniment — Regulation 26(3) and 26(3)(a)

Background
The Commission is expected to produce a draft proposal by the end of the year. This will form the basis for negotiation between Member States for what is likely to be a new directly applicable EU Regulation on consumer information. The current legislation is in the form of a Directive that Member States are required to give effect to in national legislation.

The Food Standards Agency (the Agency) has identified a number of provisions in the Food Labelling Regulations (FLR), which do not have a basis in European legislation. The only way to keep these provisions in force legally would be to have them included within the forthcoming EU legislation. The UK must therefore decide which, if any, of these food-labelling provisions it wishes to negotiate the retention of in Brussels.

The objective of this consultation is to set out the issues as they are currently understood and obtain your views on the potential impact of the lapsing of these provisions. Information obtained will inform the Government’s thinking and the development of policy, which will in turn form the basis of negotiations in Brussels.

Questions
The Agency’s provisional recommended options in respect of each provision are set out, with reasons, in the attached Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment at pages 3-12.

In order to inform policy decisions we need a robust evidence base. To help achieve this we have set out a number of questions in a questionnaire. Responses should be structured to match the questions listed in the questionnaire.

Dydyn ni ddim wedi paratoi ferswn cymraeg. Os eisiwch ferswn cymraeg neu ragor o wybodaeth cysylltwch a Kerys James-Palmer
ffon: 029 2067 8912
ebost: Kerys.James-Palmer@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

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 Judith Taylor, the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator, on 020 7276 8633.
Email: judith.taylor@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk