I couldn't find anything about CODEX on that site: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=626831
Marshall Jim Holmes wrote: > udge Overrules EU Ban On Vitamins > > By Maxine Frith > Social Affairs Correspondent > The Independent - UK > 4-8-5 > > > A controversial EU directive that could ban thousands of popular > vitamin and mineral supplements has been declared illegal by a > European judge. > > The judgment is a victory for health food manufacturers and retailers > who appealed to the European Court of Justice to overturn the proposed > law. > > The new rules governing vitamins and minerals are due to come into > effect on 1 August and are designed to improve the safety and efficacy > of products sold by the industry, worth millions of pounds. Only named > ingredients with proven scientific benefits have been included on an > EU "positive" list of approved substances that would be allowed in > health supplements. > > More than 300 different vitamins and minerals are not on the positive > list, meaning that 5,000 supplements will be banned if the proposals > become law, according to campaigners, who have been led by Carole > Caplin, Cherie Blair's former lifestyle adviser. Popular supplements > that will be outlawed include certain vitamin C brands, some calcium > capsules and copper tablets. > > The legal case against the directive was brought by the Alliance for > Natural Health (ANH), a Europe-wide association of more than 300 > manufacturers, retailers, consumers and doctors opposed to the > legislation. > > The advocate general at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) gave an > advisory opinion that the directive, as it stands, infringes basic EU > principles. > > He said that the current proposals lacked clear rules for the European > Commission to follow when deciding whether or not to include an > ingredient on the positive list. The advocate general's opinion that > the directive is "invalid" is not binding, and the full ECJ will rule > on the case in July, but the court normally follows his opinion. > > More than 20 million people in the UK spend £335m a year on vitamins > and supplements in the belief that they bolster health and well-being. > One in three women and one in four men takes supplements, and > campaigners said the legislation would lead to inferior ingredients > being used because more beneficial ones had been left off the positive > list. > > David Hinde, legal director at the ANH, said: "This is a very > significant opinion in a landmark case. What we want to see in the EU > is the food supplements directive doing the job for which it was > created, which is to provide a 'safe harbour' for food supplements so > that they are not classified as drugs, and to promote their > availability across the EU. We are optimistic the ECJ will adopt the > recommendations of the advocate general." > > Under the directive, manufacturers could apply for products to be > added to the "positive" list by submitting scientific evidence about > the benefits of the supplements. But the high cost of producing such > dossiers - up to £250,000 - would have meant that smaller > manufacturers and health stores were most at risk from the new rules. > > Sara Novakovic, the owner of Oliver's Wholefood Store in Richmond, > south-west London, welcomed yesterday's ruling. She said: "At last it > is now highly likely that we can continue to offer the products that > our customers ask for and want, rather than have to remove them all > from the shelves for no good reason and supply them with inferior > quality alternatives." > > However, the industry faces a continuing fight against EU legislation > over health supplements and vitamins. The advocate general upheld the > concept of EU legislation on health supplements, saying that the > proposals needed to be reworked rather than scrapped. > > Further directives on the maximum doses of vitamins and rules > governing herbal remedies are due to be brought in over the next two > years. > > SUPPLEMENTS REPRIEVED? > > BORON > > A mineral found naturally in nuts, raisins and leafy green vegetables, > and included in supplements such as Boots A-Z multivitamins. It is > needed for the absorption of calcium, and deficiency is linked to > osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. > > VITAMIN E > > An antioxidant that can protect against free radicals associated with > degenerative disease. Naturally occurring versions of the compounds > that make up vitamin E would be banned. > > SELENIUM YEAST > > Antioxidant that can help boost immune response and improve heart > function, and is linked to sperm function. Certain types are on the > positive list, but yeast form is said to be the most easily absorbed. > > IRON > > Vital for the production of haemoglobin, the pigment in red blood > cells that transports oxygen around the body. Organic forms of iron > that are easily absorbed by the body would be banned. > > CHROMIUM > > A mineral that balances blood sugar levels and is widely used by > diabetics to help control their condition. Chromium picolinate > supplement, which is not on the "positive list", is seen by health > professionals as a safe and effective nutritional supplement for > people with insulin resistance and those at risk of diabetes. > > CALCIUM > > "Bio" forms of calcium that are the most easily absorbed by the body > would be banned. Calcium works with vitamin D and is needed to build > bones and teeth, and can help regulate heartbeat. > > POTASSIUM > > A diet low in potassium can be a factor in high blood pressure, and > supplements can help with fluid balance, heart rhythm and nerve > impulses. More than 20 forms would be outlawed. > > SILICA > > All forms would be banned, yet it can help maintain flexible joints, > supple skin and strong nails and hair. Silica levels in the body > deplete with age, and many elderly people take supplements. > > ©2005 Independent News & Media (UK) Ltd. > > http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=626831 >
