In an article published on February 16, 2015 by the news provider ENDS Europe, journalist Valerie Flynn brings attention to the increasing pressure on France to reverse its recent ban on bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) in food contact materials. The British government expressed its disagreement with the ban and is now pushing France to lift the ban. In the UK there is a significant pressure from the industry (FPF reported) after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reaffirmed the safety of BPA. The UK Food and Drink Federation is of the opinion that France’s approach builds uncertainty and inconsistency into the European legislative system and undermines the role of evidence as well as EFSA. However, Gwynne Lyons from the advocacy group for chemical safety ChemTrust highlighted that there were uncertainties in EFSA’s risk assessment and that the French ban is therefore justified. The European Commission (EC) will analyze EFSA’s opinion before making its next move. Apart from assessing the French ban, the EC is checking whether any additional measures are needed in the EU. The EC also looks at the ban’s implications for free movement of goods, since one of its goal is to ensure that no major obstacles are created for EU traders. The impact of the ban on the free movement of goods might be a crucial decision factor in EC’s decision on whether to intervene or not.
Read more
Valerie Flynn (February 16, 2015). “Pressure mounts on French BPA restriction.” ENDS Europe
