Christel Schaldemose, the rapporteur and member of the European Parliament, proposed an implementation of the framework regulation on food contact materials, specifically for paper and board packaging.
October 7, 2016
The European paper and board industry has welcomed the recent implementation of the framework regulation on food contact materials as presented in a recent report by European Parliament. In particular, the industry supports the strong call by Parliament to develop a measure specific to the paper and board materials.
According to the paper industry associations including FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers), CITPA (International Confederation of Paper and Board Converters in Europe), and CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries), paper and board are the most sustainable packaging material in Europe. In food application paper-based packaging is No. 1, with 13.8 million tonnes annually.
Till now, specific food-contact measures have been developed for only three materials (plastics, ceramics and regenerated cellulose) as well as for active and intelligent packaging. In the absence of common EU rules diverging national measures are now seriously hampering the internal market. These inconsistencies have created legal uncertainty and risks for the entire value chain and hinder consumers’ confidence in food safety.
After the upgradation of guidelines, industry can build upon the latest scientific knowledge, state-of-the-art practices and European Food Safety Authority’s approach to ensure a high level of consumer protection across Europe.
