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EU looking to harmonize legislation on food enzymes, additives and flavourings
The EU is updating and “harmonizing” its legislation on food enzymes, additives and flavourings. The aim is to ensure that the authorisation of additives is based on sound scientific advice and that consumers are afforded the same level of safety wherever they are in the EU. The "enzymes, additives and flavouring" regulation is going through the Council at present. The Portuguese Presidency (Working Party on Foodstuffs) is trying to find a compromise between Council, Commission and EP. The meeting of the “Council working party on foodstuffs” to discuss the Presidency’s compromise text took place on 17 and 18 September.
For more information, contact EuropaBio's Dirk Carrez

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France poised to ratify the London Agreement on patents
On 24 September, the French Parliament (Assemblee Nationale) voted in favour of the draft law ratifying the London Agreement, which would simplify translation requirements in the patent application procedure. The next step is a vote at the French Senate on 10 October 2007. The French ratification is a necessary requirement for bringing into force the London Agreement. Apparently, the deposit of the ratification instrument is expected in early 2008, and the agreement would enter into force three months later.  For more information, please click here.

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EuropaBio’s YIC (Young Innovative Company’s) Project: Info for policy makers up on the web
EuropaBio has developed a Handbook for Policy Makers and an accompanying training manual in the form of a power point presentation to introduce the Young and Innovative Company Status to policy makers. Both these documents and more detailed project reports are publicly available at the project's website. We hope you find these documents helpful when meeting with national policy makers to introduce the YIC status concept. If you have further interest in State aid through tax incentives, please feel free to contact EuropaBio’s Vally Fidelman.

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Commissioner Potocnik questioned on agri-food biotech
Commissioner answered GMO-related questions asked by MEP Mairead McGuinness during the September parliamentary session. Potočnik stressed that from his point of view the Commisison takes great care to take all possible steps to understand the GM or non-GM situation as much as possible. "Decisions made in the Commission are always based on existing knowledge", he said. "We never ignore this and try to stick to this approach. Policy implications have never been the subject of our attention".
For more information, click here

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Figures show EU biotech companies outpaced by their US counterparts
European biotechnology companies are being outpaced by their US competitors both in terms of R&D investment and the scale of their operations, it has been revealed in a new set of figures published by the European Commission. The figures are based on an analysis of the 1,000 highest-spending EU companies in terms of R&D investment. Of these, 57 have been identified by the Commission as being active in the biotechnology sector. Each of these companies spent, on average, €21 million on biotechnology R&D in 2005.
For OECD biotech statistics, click here

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EU Commission says total ban on GM crops not possible under EU rules
A total freeze on commercial genetically modified crops, that countries such as France may be considering, is not allowed under EU rules, the European Commission said Friday. "A general ban is not possible" for an EU state or region, said Barbara Helfferich, spokeswoman for EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas. Without being drawn on the plans being drawn up in Paris, she said "we would have to look at the exact details of the proposition..."
For more information, click here.

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DG Enterprise launches website, asks entrepreneurs to “tell us if red tape makes your life difficult”
The European Commission today launched a new website, to enable entrepreneurs to suggest ideas for how to reduce the administrative burdens they face. Together with the launch of the online consultation European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen also announced that a contractor has been entrusted with measuring the administrative costs arising from European legislation and their implementation at national level. As announced last week, a high level group of stakeholders – to be chaired by Edmund Stoiber after he steps down as Bavarian Prime Minister - will advice on the ongoing work under the Action Programme for reducing unnecessary burdens (IP/07/1339). For more information, click here.

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European Commission conference underlines value of orphan drug development
At a conference hosted by the EU Commission, the EuropaBio & European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises (EBE) Orphan Medicinal Products Task Force presented the industry’s current high level of activity in research on orphan drugs. They highlighted the need for more partnerships between patients and industry, between science and the public sector, and also for improved access to the orphan medicines resulting from such research and partnerships. To view the joint press release, please click here.
 

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