EU Alert - Information

EU Alert - Border rejection

The annual Food Statistics Pocketbook provides a round-up of statistics on food covering the economic, social and environmental aspects of the food we eat The Food Statistics Pocketbook for 2011 is now available  at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/food/pocketstats/

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has advised us that the GLA will not check compliance with the Agency Worker Regulations from 1 October.

The GLA’s consultation of the Licensing Standards consultation ends on 28 October and the GLA Board will be invited to decide whether changes should be made to the Standards, including the question of the Agency Worker Regulations, early in 2012.

Nigel Jenney is delighted to announce that the executive team has a new member.  Julie Pycock has joined Angie Stuart and Sian Thomas and her role is concentrated on looking after the office administration. 

Julie is new to the industry but brings extensive administration experience which will be a great asset to the team.  Her first week has been fairly hectic and she celebrated a birthday as well! You will undoubtedly speak to Julie when you call the office and we look forward to introducing her to members.

The Council of the European Union has approved the adoption of the new Regulation on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers which sets out additional labelling requirements ‘aimed to help consumers make healthier and better informed choices’.

The Regulation requires labelling to be ‘clear and legible’ and establishes a minimum font size for the mandatory information of 1.2 mm for the x-height. If the largest surface of a food package is less than 80 cm²  the minimum font size is reduced to 0.9 mm.

Fresh produce is not required to carry a mandatory nutrition declaration, and is already covered by the requirement to provide the country of origin under the EU Marketing Standards.

Non pre-packed foods are required to carry information for consumers on allergens, however, we have been advised by Defra that this is not a requirement if the allergen is listed in the name of the food. We understand that the Food Standards Authority’s guidance will be used as a basis for any national rules. Defra has indicated that the overall intention is not to have any UK measures alongside the EU Regulation if possible.

For more information see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/lsa/124805.pdf

Defra has asked the food industry to provide any examples of practical issues arising from the new Regulations which will be introduced 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal

The Chemicals Regulation Directorate has announced that new Regulations came into force on 24 September 2011. They comprise:

• the Plant Protection Products Regulations 2011, which provide for offences, enforcement powers and penalties in Great Britain. Separate but similar legislation is being introduced in Northern Ireland (the Plant Protection Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011);
• the Plant Protection Products (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2011, which provide the charging regime for Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and for aspects of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides and Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides. They apply to the United Kingdom.

Both sets of Regulations were subject to public consultation earlier this year. Information on the consultation, including a summary of responses to the draft legislation and the Government’s response to them, are available at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/03/01/plant-protection-products-1103/

Following our separate briefing for members, please find the link to the HPA’s statement published today: http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2011PressReleases/110930Ecolioutbreakassocwithsoilonveg/

If members want any further information please contact us.

We have invited Dr Bob Adak of the HPA to attend our Technical Group meeting on Wednesday 5 October at New Covent Garden Market. If you would like to attend the meeting, please contact sian@freshproduce.org.uk for further details.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has carried out research into consumers’ attitudes towards food safety when handling vegetables.  The research was undertaken to determine current behaviour, perception of risk and what messages are needed to encourage safer handling of vegetables.

Following the E.coli outbreaks in Germany and France participants were more hesitant when buying vegetables – avoiding buying cucumbers, checking the country of origin, buying UK produce where possible, and washing vegetables carefully, although the threat posed by E.coli was perceived to be low.

The FSA makes the following points among the conclusions of this study:

• Fruit and vegetables were seen as low risk and associated with healthy eating, while bacteria/food poisoning was more commonly associated with raw meat.
• Food safety considerations were not top-of-mind when handling vegetables. There was limited awareness that cross contamination from vegetables to other foods was a food safety risk.
• Pre-packaged vegetables looked ‘clean’ and therefore were seen as low risk. Dirt and soil heightened the perceived risk and acted as a visual cue prompting people to wash vegetables properly.
• Raising awareness of the risk of bacteria in soil would reinforce existing practices without causing undue concern or creating new anxieties relating to food. Consumers were habitually more cautious when handling meat, which was considered high risk. This research suggests that there is scope to create a similar effect with vegetables.
• Consumers need more information about the risks of handling vegetables, in particular highlighting that bacteria on the skin can cause cross contamination in people’s homes. This coupled with a clear explanation of how food hygiene practices combat this risks will help to address existing knowledge gaps.
• Existing behaviours could be reinforced by simply making the reasons behind these practices clear to consumers. Reinforcing existing habitual behaviours by leveraging ‘common sense’ attitudes about food safety may be effective.
• Consumers are likely to dismiss change where this was deemed too onerous or impractical. Therefore, broadening the scope of familiar behaviours may be more acceptable.

The FSA also commented in its report that in the absence of practical advice, the consumer’s response was generally to stop buying or eating certain foods rather than adopting other preventative behaviours.

For more information visit: http://www.food.gov.uk

Following the devastating impact of the European E.coli outbreak on the UK fresh produce industry FPC, with support from the industry, is considering applying for EU funding for a programme to promote fresh produce in the EU market.

I am seeking your views and expressions of interest to participate in such a programme which could deliver either a broad promotional campaign or be tailored to promotional or marketing activities supporting a specific industry sector or products.

As your trade association, FPC is eligible to make the application to the EU which will fund up to 50 per cent of marketing and promotional activities. Industry would be required to fund the remainder.

The marketing activities should be designed to increase levels of information and sales of fresh produce of EU origin within EU countries. The bid is required to outline a detailed plan regarding its activities, funding and timeframe for delivery, the duration of which must be between 1-3 years.

The first step is to ascertain if there is sufficient support from our members to progress this proposal and I am seeking your feedback by Friday 30 September so that the FPC Council may discuss this at its next meeting.

If there is committed support for FPC to put in a bid then we will hold a separate meeting with participating companies to discuss the requirements of the bid in detail and to develop the programme proposal to meet the deadline for application at the end of November.

I believe that it is imperative for the industry to take responsibility for increasing consumption, although I appreciate that trading conditions are difficult at this time.

Some more background information is provided for you to consider this proposal and I look forward to receiving your views.

Regards

Jim Rogers

President

Briefing for FPC members – outline requirements of bid

The aim of the EU scheme is to ‘reinforce and supplement Member States’ initiatives by implementing information and promotion measures aimed at highlighting the intrinsic features and advantages of Community products, notably the quality and safety of food, specific production methods, nutritional and health value, labelling, high animal welfare standards and respect for the environment’.

The European Commission will fund up to 50 per cent of the approved programme. This funding may be increased to 60 per cent for a promotion of fruit and vegetables specifically for children in schools of the EU.

The remaining funding would be via additional industry support, with FPC acting as the applicant. Delivery of the programme would be through an Implementing Body (i.e. agency/agencies).

UK applications are made to the RPA, which advises that a draft application be made well before the deadline (30 November) to allow RPA to check the application satisfies the requirements prior to final application.

The bid is required to include:

• Detailed description of the promotion/information measures planned;
• Anticipated results of the programme;
• Clear detailed estimate of the project cost of each measure included in the programme;
• Time limits for implementation and the timetable for various measures. Programmes consisting of a single measure are unlikely to be accepted by the Commission.

The duration of the programme must be at least one year, but no longer than three years, and be sufficient to achieve an impact on awareness or attitudes.

The programme of activities must:

• Provide information on the intrinsic characteristics of product(s) without reference to specific origin. Any health claims have to be referred separately to the Department of Health;
• Make no reference to brand names, trademarks or private companies;
• Must not duplicate similar measures already being implemented, but may, where applicable, supplement them; and
• Messages must be positive and take account of the specific nature of consumption on the different markets.

An initial selection of programmes will be made by the UK RPA and Defra, before being submitted to the European Commission by 15 February 2012 for final evaluation and approval. The Commission will decide which programme it will co-finance by 30 June 2012.

More information on the specific guidelines is available in the Implementing Regulation EC No. 501/2008.The Commission and RPA have produced guidance to support the preparation of bids – copies are available from FPC.

For more information see the following links at: http://rpa.defra.gov.uk/rpa/index.nsf/0/85B6D65F7840992D802578F6004ED485

RPA Guide

EU Funds Handbook

EU Funding Application