In May, CIAA took part in the joint EU/US Conference "Good practices: Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health" held in Brussels. The event was intended to provide ideas for improving existing actions of the EU Platform; give the basis for future transatlantic cooperation on topics such as food advertising, food labelling and reformulation, consumer education and research; and pave the way toward common objectives between the EU and the US.

For its part, CIAA presented encouraging evidence that companies are beginning to deliver results in the fight against obesity. "The food and drink industries understand the challenge and they are already delivering on a wide range of industry commitments," said Daniela Israelachwili, Director General of CIAA. These include promoting healthier diets, improving marketing practices and encouraging physical activity both in the context of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and more generally."

"There are some common principles on which we can all agree," Ms. Israelachwili added, "including the need to focus attention on calories as opposed to specific food categories, to recognise the importance commercial communications can play in promoting healthier living and to encourage physical activity. We are confident we can meet the challenges ahead. Nonetheless," she said, "we should be cautious in assuming that common solutions - especially of a regulatory nature � are necessarily appropriate. Consumers are different around the world, and the approaches to combating obesity should be, too."

At the conference CIAA stressed the importance of a multi-factorial approach to match the multi-factorial nature of the obesity problem, and the need to give self-regulation time to work.

To view the press release issued, please click here

Speaking at the CIAA-sponsored Friends of Europe �Caf� Crossfire� debate on 8 June, Jean Martin, President of CIAA repeated his calls for Commissioner Kyprianou to publicly support the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. "We would like to see more explicit support from Commissioner Kyprianou. The motivation for our members can be useful."

The EU Platform was initially launched 15 months ago in March 2005. It brings together a wide range of stakeholders to make commitments to help solve the obesity epidemic in Europe.

In a follow-up to both the EU/US summit in May on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and the Obesity Europe Conference of the previous days, Mr. Martin stressed that obesity was "not just a problem for the food industry," but that it was a "multi-factorial issue requiring a similar multi-factorial approach to combat it, involving all stakeholders." He added, "it is wrong to focus exclusively on food."

However, Mr. Martin stressed that the food industry believed in the Platform and that if further self-regulation was allowed, it could ensure that positive changes were made very fast.

Mr. Martin highlighted the voluntary self-regulatory moves made by the food and drink industry so far, in particular the Commitments of industry presented in November 2005, but said that Member States needed to become more actively involved themselves.

Other speakers at the �Caf� Crossfire� debate included Robert Madelin, Director General of DG Sanco and Geoff Rayner from City University in London.

• A full synopsis of the event is available by clicking here

• To listen to an audio stream of Jean Martin�s speech at the Obesity Europe Conference please click here.

In July 2005 CIAA launched the European Technology Platform (ETP) �Food for Life.� The launch of the platform was followed by the development of a Vision document aimed at shaping the future of R&D in Europe in the lead-up to 2020 and beyond. Within the ETP �Food for Life� Vision document, a coherent strategy for the future of the food chain was developed � based upon the shared vision of its diverse stakeholders. The Stakeholder Strategic Research Agenda (SSRA), now available on CIAA�s website, is a follow-up to the original ETP Vision document. The new SSRA has developed and built-upon the original ETP Vision document, expanding it into a coherent series of research challenges aimed at ensuring that R&D is conceived both with the consumer very much in mind and also as the major driver (farm-to-fork). The SSRA document is now open for broad consultation until the end of the year and is available for download by clicking here .

CIAA will hold its bi-annual congress this upcoming autumn on the theme of Food for Life � Meeting Consumers� Needs. The congress will take place in Brussels and feature high-level speakers from the industry, relevant EU institutions and consumer organisations.

The congress will officially begin on 26 October at 2.30 pm with a welcome speech by CIAA President Mr. Jean Martin. The congress will then be articulated in three parallel sessions, during which, WHO, EFSA, DG Sanco and other Commission departments, consumer and industry representatives will address key issues covering topics such as obesity, consumer behaviour in relation to health and nutrition, the EU approach to consumer demands and needs, food science and technology developments in support of consumer well-being and more.

For up-to-date details of the event and to register your participation, please go to www.ciaacongress.be For further information contact Thierry Habotte, CIAA Communications Director on +32 25 14 11 11

In May, EFSA published its opinion related to a long-term carcinogenicity study on aspartame, reconfirming its safety.

At a press conference held on 05/05 in Rome, EFSA presented its opinion in relation to a new study on aspartame, published in 2005 by the European Ramazzini Foundation (ERF) in Bologna, Italy.  The Ramazzini study concluded that aspartame could cause cancer and that current guidelines on its use and consumption should be re-evaluated.

The EFSA AFC Panel carefully evaluated the data provided by the Ramazzini Foundation and concluded that the study had flaws which brought into question the validity and interpretation of the findings.  The EFSA Panel concluded that, on the basis of all evidence currently available, there was no need to further review the safety of aspartame, nor to revise the previously established Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) (40mg/kg body weight).  The AFC Panel also noted that intakes of aspartame in Europe, with levels up to 10 mg/kg bw/ day, are well below the ADI, even in high consumers.