- Controversial new European laws which could outlaw thousands
of vitamin and mineral supplements were upheld by European Court judgesy.
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- The European Court of Justice rejected British health
food industry claims that the proposed Food Supplements Directive, coming
into force on August 1, breaches EU rules.
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- The surprise decision goes against an opinion delivered
by the same court's advocate-general in April, advising that the rules
should be scrapped because they contravene basic EU principles of "legal
protection, legal certainty and sound administration".
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- The judges countered that the proposed arrangements,
designed to tighten controls on the growing market in products sold under
the health food heading, can go ahead as planned.
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- Health food companies have to submit natural remedies,
vitamin supplements and mineral plant extracts - many of them in long-established
regular use in a £300 million-a-year market in the UK - for approval
and inclusion on a list of recognised food supplements.
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- The judges backed the move saying: "A 'positive
list' system is appropriate for securing the free movement of food supplements
and ensuring the protection of human health."
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- http://www.thisislondon.com/news/articles/PA_
NEWA69691121104201A0000?source=PA%20Feed
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