Background

The European Union is in the process of introducing Europewide regulations on the composition and labelling of food supplements. This is being done under the terms of the Food Supplements Directive (2002/46/EC) which came into force in July 2003.

The Directive defines what a food supplement is, lists those nutrients which are permitted for use, and makes provision for the setting of maximum permitted levels at which those nutrients may be present. It is intended that the Directive will remove barriers to trade in supplements throughout the European Union by requiring all 25 Member States to permit onto their markets products which comply with the legislation and prohibiting the placing onto the market of products which fail to comply.

At present, the Directive covers only vitamins and minerals in supplements, but it is proposed that it be extended to cover other categories of ingredient, including botanical ingredients, in the future.

Under the terms of Article 5 of the Directive, the European Commission will shortly propose levels of vitamins and minerals which it believes are the maximum that should be permitted for use in supplements. A Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers will then be asked to approve those figures.