What the impact on consumers of food supplements and herbal remedies will be of the EC Directive on food supplements; what the policy inten…

I have been advised by the Food Standards Agency that the EC Directive 2002/46/EC ensures a high level of protection for consumers as products on the market will comply with agreed safety levels and will bear adequate and appropriate labelling. Implementation of the directive will not immediately outlaw any products already on the UK market. The impact of the directive on the future continued availability of products will depend upon future developments on lists of permitted nutrients and on maximum limits. There are currently no specific limits in UK law on the level or range of vitamins and minerals contained in food supplements. Food supplements are regulated in other member states by differing national rules that may impede their free movement, create unequal conditions for competition and consumers. It is therefore necessary to adopt Community rules on those products marketed as foodstuffs.The directive deals only with the composition of vitamin and mineral supplements and will have no impact on the consumers of herbal remedies. Traditional herbal medicines are a reserved matter, dealt with by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), the UK Medicines Regulatory Authority.