The package of five laws adopted by the EU last year aim to merge, harmonise and simplify complex hygiene requirements currently scattered over seventeen EU directives. The single hygiene policy,due to come into force on 1 January 2006, will apply to all food and all food operators.
The new regulations require that all packaging bears an identification mark to aid traceability.
Under the rules food manufacturers must purchase all stocks of wrapping, packaging materials bearing the old pre-printed identification marks by the end of this year and use these up before thestart of 2008.
This means that manufacturers must use up all all the old stocks of packaging by the end of 2007.
Thierry Habotte, spokesperson for the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA), said the association's members will find it difficult to comply.
The timing for the introduction of the new packaging rule is very restrictive, he told FoodProductionDaily.com.
"While the CIAA welcomes the introduction of the implementing regulations, it is concerned that the measures requiring manufacturers to purchase all stocks of wrapping, packaging materialsbearing pre-printed identification marks by 1 January 2006 and to use these by 31 December 2007, remains unworkable for manufacturers and is of no benefit to the consumer," he said.
The deadline of 1 January 2006 for purchasing stocks does not give manufacturers significant time to coordinate changes to the identification mark with other packaging changes.
"Companies would like to be able to phase in the new packaging with other artwork changes, over a realistic time frame, thus minimising cost," he said.
In general the CIAA welcomes the introduction of the new hygiene measures. The association also supports the harmonisation of official controls on products of animal origin, introduced byregulation 854/2004.
The association also supports the amendment under the new rules to foodstuffs of animal origin, according to which products which had previously been considered as food of animal origin, such aspizza with ham, were considered to fall into the scope of Regulation 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.
Hence the industry will no longer need approval by the competent authority, nor for an identification mark on those products.
"The CIAA appreciates this move, which ensures the maintenance of strict hygiene standards while avoiding the placing of excessive paperwork requirements on manufacturers," hesaid.
While the new hygiene rules would lead to higher costs for food processors, it would also make cross-border trading in the bloc simpler for them by establishing a common set of rules.
With the establishment of a common health certificate for food and feed products entering the EU, imports would also face less red tape under the new rules. This is a mixed blessing for foodprocessors. Those bringing supplies into the bloc would find it easier to do so. However it could also result in increasing competition within the bloc from non-EU companies.
Implementing rules agreed on this week include provisions increasing the amount of information required to trace foods and ingredients through the supply chain. They also include information ontesting methods for marine biotoxins and fishery products along with requirements for listing approved food companies.
The rules also include models of health certificates for products such as frogs' legs, snails, gelatine and collagen. This will mean non-EU companies exporting products will only have to complete acommon health certificate to sell to the 25 members in the bloc.
