STEP 1: Draft Letter to send to the Commissioner

Do feel free to amend the letter. It would be helpful to add further explanation about your own business.

Markos Kyprianou
The Commissioner
Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection
The European Commission
B-1049 BRUSSELS
BELGIUM

5/4/2024

Dear Mr Kyprianou,

I am a [manufacturer/distributor/retailer] of food supplements. The supplements are safe, appropriately labelled, and effective. They help consumers to achieve and maintain good health in accordance with expert scientific opinion including that of the World Health Organisation which acknowledges the role that supplements can play.

I had hoped to benefit from the harmonisation of the market in food supplements throughout the European Union and do understand why this Directive was brought forward. Indeed, I welcome your stated aims of both removing barriers to trade in supplements throughout the Union and promoting consumer choice.

I understand that officials of your Directorate General will shortly be proposing new limits for vitamins and minerals in such products under the terms of Article 5 of the Directive. The European Union should not set permitted levels for nutrients at unnecessarily low levels because that will restrict consumer choice, undermine public health, damage the specialist food supplement industry, and distort the market.

Individual Member States must also be allowed to retain the flexibility to place on the market products which contain higher levels than those that you propose if they consider that it is appropriate in local circumstances. I hope that you will be able to reassure me that your colleagues will not be proposing unacceptably low levels for supplements.

I would be most grateful to have your response. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

[insert your name and address]

STEP 2: Draft Letter to send to the Government Official in your country

[insert name And address of official]

5/4/2024

Dear [Sir][Madam],

Please see this copy of a communication that I have sent to the European Commissioner, Mr Markos Kyprianou, who deals with the interpretation of the Food Supplements Directive.

I understand that you are also involved with these issues and I would be most grateful if you would also consider the views that I have expressed in my communication and let me have your comments on the matters that I raise. I do hope that you will be able to reassure me that the Government’s representatives will be pressing for an interpretation of this measure that will promote consumer choice and remove barriers to trade.

I look forward to your reply. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

[insert your name and address]

Encs: copy of letter to Mr Kyprianou