Pira International: Food Contact Packaging – What Will the European Commission Do Next?

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The EU is currently harmonising its legislation on food contact materials to ensure food safety and to remove technical barriers to trade, but what is next on the Commission’s agenda?

This is the question that Annette Schafer of the European Commission will address with her opening keynote presentation at next months 28^th Plastics and Paper in Contact with Foodstuffs conference (6-9 December, Rome, Italy). Pira’s UK Director Nick Kernoghan explains "Now that the European Commission has finished the legislation on plastics, the conference will cover a broader range of topics of key interest to food contact regulatory professionals, top of the list is "what will the Commission do next?".

Mitchell Cheeseman of the FDA will also present at the P&P (Plastics and Paper in Contact with Foodstuffs) 2011 conference next month to update attendees on the latest developments and legislation in the USA. Cheesman explains his participation; “my major goal in speaking at the conference is to inform our industry stakeholders regarding how to work with FDA in relation to food contact issues.” He continues “The FDA has worked with individual companies for many years to assist them in producing recycled paper products that meet the regulations for food contact paper and paperboard. The recent issue raised in the EU regarding mineral oil migration is just one example of the need for properly controlled processes for the use of recycled material in food contact paper.”

On the mineral oil debate, Barry Podd, Global Regulatory Affairs Manager of Kimberley Klark refers to the P&P conference as “The perfect opportunity to catch up with what is happening with mineral as the Authorities continue to look for a pragmatic solution to the issue and, one year on, learn more about how the implementation of the Industry Guideline is progressing. In addition, participants will also be able to discuss what the impact, if any, including food contact materials in the recast of the Biocidal Products Directive will have with the other participants and the legislators.“

In light of this year’s update at the conference from the European Commission Luigi Rossi (formerly of the European Commission) predicts “The declaration of conformity and the enforcement of laws will surely give rise to much debate. The lecture from the EFSA and the impact of REACH on the FCM will be of great interest”.

As well as an update on the current and future landscape for Plastics and Paper food packaging, the agenda also features presentations on enforcement, inks, adhesives, coatings and colorants, making it “the most varied and interesting programme for years” according to Nick Kernoghan of Pira International.

Plastics and Paper in Contact with Foodstuffs is Pira International’s flagship Food Contact conference. For more information visit www.food-contact.com or contact [e-mail] [phone].