Caseins and caseinates intended for human consumption

The European Parliament adopted by 642 votes to 54, with 9 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to caseins and caseinates intended for human consumption and repealing Council Directive 83/417/EEC.

The European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:

Objectives of the Directive: the Directive seeks to facilitate, through approximation of the laws of the Member States, the free movement of caseins and caseinates intended for human consumption while providing a high level of protection of health, and to bring existing provisions into line with general Union legislation on food and with international standards.

Updated definitions: for the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions apply:

• ‘edible acid casein’ means  a milk product obtained by separating, washing and drying the acid-precipitated coagulum of skimmed milk and/or of other products obtained from milk;
• ‘edible rennet casein’ means a milk product obtained by separating, washing and drying the coagulum of skimmed milk and/or of other products obtained from milk; the coagulum is obtained through the reaction of rennet or other coagulating enzymes;
• ‘edible caseinate’ means a milk product obtained by action of edible casein or edible casein curd coagulum with neutralizing agents, followed by drying.

This Directive should use the terms 'food additives' and 'processing aids' in respect of the standards applicable to edible caseins and edible caseinates. Such use of terminology would also be in line with the Codex standard for edible casein products.

Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, sufficient information is to be provided in business to business relations in order to ensure the presence and accuracy of food information for the final consumer. It is stipulated that particulars shall be marked on the packages, containers or labels of the milk products in easily visible, clearly legible and indelible characters.

Where the minimum milk protein content set out in Annexes I and II is exceeded in the milk products, this fact may, without prejudice to other provisions of Union law, be adequately marked on the packages, containers or labels of the product.

Delegated acts: the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts to amend the standards set out in the Annexes. The power to adopt delegated shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years which may be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration.

Transposition: the Directive shall be transposed at the latest 12 months after the entry into force of this Directive.