following the request of member states and stakeholders the commission proposed the regulation on nutrition and health claims which was adopted in december two thousand and six by parliament and the council
the aim of the regulation is precisely to ensure that nutrition and health claims made on foods are truthful clear and based on generally accepted scientific evidence so that the consumer is adequately protected
the commission therefore aims to establish lists of permitted health claims as well as to update permitted nutrition claims
the regulation sets authorisation procedures to ensure that only scientifically substantiated health claims are made
these procedures involve firstly the european food safety authority which assesses the substantiation of health claims secondly the commission which proposes draft measures authorising or rejecting health claims accordingly and thirdly the member states which give their opinion on the measures in the regulatory committee
the commission has so far adopted four regulations authorising or rejecting health claims
similar measures will continue to be adopted according to the evaluation of the health claims from the european food safety authority thereby ensuring that consumers are not misled
