Addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods: Commission implementing powers

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Karin SCHEELE (PES, AT) and made some amendments to the proposal. These amendments are aimed at reinforcing Parliament's role by extending the areas in which the regulatory procedure with scrutiny should be applied and at defining more clearly areas likely to benefit from an accelerated procedure on compelling grounds of urgency. Negotiations conducted with the Commission and the Council with a view to reaching an agreement ahead of the plenary vote have resulted in a compromise package supported by all the political groups. Compared to the Commission's original proposal, Parliament's role in the execution of the Regulation has been strengthened considerably.

The regulatory procedure with scrutiny will be applied to the following areas:

- modifications to Annexes I and II to Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006;

- establishing additional foods to which particular vitamins or minerals may not be added;

- taking decisions to establish and/or amend the lists of authorised, prohibited or restricted other substances;

- defining the conditions under which vitamins and minerals may be used, such as purity criteria, maximum amounts, minimum amounts and other restrictions or prohibitions on the addition of vitamins and minerals to food;

- establishing derogations from certain provisions of the Regulation.

Furthermore, Parliament provided that, when, on imperative grounds of urgency, the normal time-limits for the regulatory procedure with scrutiny cannot be complied with, the Commission should be able to use the urgency procedure provided for in Article 5a(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC for the deletion of certain vitamins or minerals listed in the annexes and for the inclusion and amendment of certain other substances in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006.