BRUSSELS—A recent workshop hosted by EAS Consulting discussed the potential challenges and opportunities relative to pending regulation on European Union Nutrition and Health Claims regulation. The workshop, called Claims: Dealing with the present, planning for the future," took place on Nov. 24 in Brussels and featured EAS experts Patrick Coppens and Stefanie Geiser, who advised food and food supplement companies in attendance how they can benefit from the claims evaluation process and offset possible challenges.
Specifically, the workshop gave participants advice on how to introduce successful claims applications to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and how to deal with the practical day-to-day issues unearthed by the regulation in terms of marketing and product development of foods and food supplements. Companies also gained insights on proprietary data protection and the interplay of the claims regulation with other regulations.
“With so many aspects of the claims regulation still being implemented and under discussion it is difficult for companies to get the concrete advice they need to be able to successfully and sustainably market their products in the EU,” said Geiser, regulatory affairs manager at EAS. “It is important to analyze EFSA guidelines and the pitfalls from previous EFSA evaluations, and to monitor market practice and identify new possibilities that the claims regulation permits in combination with other EU legislation. Our workshop provides insight into these aspects, helping companies to correctly interpret the legislation and plan business strategies around the predicted outcomes."
EAS said it has scheduled a follow-up workshop, updating information on the claims regulation, for March 8, 2012 in Brussels.
