White Paper On Food Safety

The German food industry basically supports the observations contained in the White Paper regarding the simplification of procedures and the transfer of executive authority to the Commission, e.g. in the field of updating the list of permitted food additives.

The nature of the transfer of executive authority must, however, be precisely defined. As has already happened in individual cases (for example article 4 of directive 89/398 EEC - special dietary foods - of 3 May 1989), the Council should precisely define the powers of the EC Commission to enact executive measures, particularly as regards their content and extent.

In this case the EC Commission's greater independence and more extensive decision-making powers are legitimised by the fact that the extent and limits of its executive powers have been precisely laid down in advance.