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In 2018, the Commission will make comprehensive proposals for the next generation of financial programmes for the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework, which is the EU’s long-term budget. The Commission’s proposals will be designed to make it possible for the EU to deliver on the things that matter most, in areas where it can achieve more than the Member States acting alone. This requires a careful assessment both of what has worked well in the past and what could be improved in the future. This consultation is an integral part of the process and its objective is to collect the views of all interested parties on how to make the most of every euro of the EU budget.
The General Food Law Regulation (EU rules on food and feed safety along the production chain) is the cornerstone of the EU regulatory framework covering the entire food chain: ‘from farm to fork’.
The law requires food and feed law to be science-based. This is known as the risk analysis principle, which consists of three separate but interrelated components: risk assessment (scientific advice), risk management (measures taken on the basis of scientific advice, other legitimate factors and where appropriate the precautionary principle) and risk communication (interactive exchange of information on risks throughout the risk analysis process).
For this purpose, the General Food Law Regulation established the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as an independent scientific agency to provide the scientific opinions (risk assessment) which form the basis for the measures taken by the EU in the food chain.
Since the adoption of the General Food Law Regulation in 2002, the political, economic and societal context has evolved, affecting consumers’ perception and expectations in relation to the food chain.
Whilst EFSA’s work in the area of risk assessment has not been subject to significant criticism, citizens have put into question the risk assessment based on studies provided by the industry and this in particular where the industry seeks an authorisation, e.g. for pesticides, GMOs etc.
The Commission is keen to hear about views and experiences on the following:
the transparency and independence of the EU risk assessment system with respect to the underlying industry studies and information on which EFSA’s risk assessment/scientific advice is based;
risk communication; and,
the governance of EFSA, in particular, the involvement of the EU Member States (MS) in the EU risk assessment system.
The Commission has launched two more consultations on food safety: :
reduction of sugar in the food
EFSA is seeking feedback on the approach it plans to take for its upcoming assessment of dietary sugars. The aim of the assessment is to establish a cut-off value for intake of “free” sugars that is not associated with adverse health effects
nanomaterials and food safety
EFSA has opened a public consultation on its draft guidance for the risk assessment of nanoscience and nanotechnology applications in the food and feed chain. The guidance covers the relevant areas within EFSA’s remit, such as novel foods, food contact materials, food and feed additives, and pesticides.
Deadline for both consultations is 4th March 2018.
The European Commission is consulting on the structure and content of the Framework Programme which will succeed Horizon 2020, through which funding for research and innovation up to 2030 will be allocated. EuChemS is preparing a response with a position paper to the consultation.
A non-legislative draft report on how to boost clean energy innovation and make the energy system more efficient and affordable was debated and voted by ITRE MEPs earlier in February.
A stable market and the predictability and certainty of a regulatory framework, along with an ambitious and deliverable long-term policy vision are the prerequisites for “Accelerating Clean Energy Innovation”, said ITRE MEPs in their vote on a draft non-legislative text prepared by Jerzy Buzek (EPP, PL).
MEPs further called for an increased overall budget of at least EUR 120 billion for FP9, saying that the financing for sustainable, low-emission energy projects should increase by at least 50 % over and above the corresponding Horizon 2020 amounts, so as to ensure sufficient funding to support EU’s energy transition and the effective implementation of the Energy Union.
A greater coherence between the relevant funds, including structural funds, dedicated to clean energy projects would be necessary, said MEPs, expressing concern about the large number and complexity of existing financial instruments.
Some genetically modified organisms can be authorised for use in the EU in foods or feed or for cultivation within the EU. Generally, permission for their use is given throughout the EU. The Commission has recently proposed allowing individual member states to restrict or prohibit the use of such authorised GMOs.
Papers concerning the effect of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on food-related matters including GMOs have been published.
The right to access essential services of good quality, including water, is one of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights unanimously endorsed by Heads of State or Government at the Gothenburg Summit on 17 November 2017.
This is the reason why the Commission has adopted a legislative proposal which aims to guarantee this right and thereby responds to the first-ever successful European Citizens’ Initiative, “Right2Water”, that gathered 1.6 million signatures in support of improving access to safe drinking water for all Europeans.
The new rules will require Member States to improve access for all people, especially for vulnerable and marginalised groups who currently have difficult access to drinking water. In practice, that means setting up equipment for access to drinking water in public spaces, launching campaigns to inform citizens about the quality of their water and encouraging administrations and public buildings to provide access to drinking water.
Another important change in the legislation will give the public easy, user-friendly – including online – access to information about the quality and supply of drinking water in their living area, improving confidence in tap water. According to estimates, the new measures would reduce potential health risks associated with drinking water from 4% to below 1%.
Lower consumption of bottled water can in addition help households in Europe save more than €600 million per year. With improved confidence in tap water, citizens can also contribute to reducing plastic waste from bottled water, including marine litter.
Better management of drinking water from Member States will avoid unnecessary loss of water and contribute to lowering the CO2 footprint.
On 16th January, the Commission adopted the first Europe-wide strategy on plastics, which will protect the environment from plastic pollution whilst fostering growth and innovation, turning a challenge into a positive agenda for the Future of Europe. There is a strong business case for transforming the way products are designed, produced, used, and recycled in the EU and by taking the lead in this transition, new investment opportunities and jobs will be created. Under the new plans, all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030, the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced and the intentional use of microplastics will be restricted.
Under the new strategy, the European Union will make recycling profitable for business, curb plastic waste, stop littering at sea, drive investment and innovation and spur change across the world.
The Commission hosted the first European Education summit in Brussels on 25th January. It laid out its plans to create a European Education Area by 2025.
Europeans have the right to benefit from the best education and training available, to achieve their full potential and to contribute to society. However, as the latest Education and Training Monitor 2017 shows, inequality remains a challenge, with students’ socio-economic backgrounds largely determining their educational attainment.
Within the broad theme of ‘Laying the foundations of the European Education Area: for an innovative, inclusive and values-based education,’ the first European Education Summit brought together around 450 participants to discuss the importance of the European Education Area 2025, of basic skills and inclusive education and the skills that will be needed in the decades to come.
The Summit explored how to capture the latest knowledge and insights into education and how to turn our aspirations into a reality, as it is only through education that citizens can be equipped with the skills to actively contribute to today’s societies.
This reflection took place in the context of work towards a European Education Area, which will make mobility a reality for all, create a network of European Universities and promote lifelong learning.
Explosives precursors are chemical substances which can be misused to manufacture home-made explosives. In 2013, recognising the threat posed by these substances to public security, Regulation EU 98/2013 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors was adopted to enhance security against terrorism. The 2015 European Agenda on Security also reflects the importance of taking action at EU level to reduce access to these dangerous chemical substances.
Despite the restrictions and controls introduced under the Regulation, regulated explosives precursor substances and mixtures continue to be accessed by individuals and groups that aim to carry out terrorist attacks in Europe.
In a 2017 report on the application of the Regulation, the Commission concluded that the Regulation’s entry into force helped reduce access to dangerous explosive precursors. The report adds, however, that changes to the Regulation should be considered in order to increase the capacity of all those involved in implementing and enforcing the restrictions and controls on precursors. With this in mind, the Commission has committed to carefully evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the Regulation and assessing the impact of possible new and strengthened measures.
