Welcome to this edition of CIAA’s e-newsletter.  The EU summit last week was long on competitiveness objectives which industry supports but short on real commitment to action in Member States, particularly on better regulation, simplification and a well-functioning single market.  On the other hand, very far-reaching goals have been set for actions on climate change and energy efficiency.  CIAA’s Board – meeting on the eve of the summit – expressed a clear position in particular on the Renewable Energies Package.

This week we celebrated the second anniversary of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.  For the past two years, CIAA has been an active contributor and committed partner to the platform.  We have delivered specific actions such as the voluntary CIAA nutrition labelling scheme which offers consistency and easy to understand information to European consumers.  While this is one of the most ambitious commitments to emerge from the platform, it is certainly not the only one.  Mid April, CIAA will publish a brochure with figures and case studies highlighting the considerable actions at all levels – national and European – that the food and drink industry has undertaken in this context to date.

CIAA continues to be an active interlocutor for the European Commission on the topic of better regulation and recently published its annual review of the priorities and objectives.  Many of the topics originally identified by CIAA were taken up in the 2006 Commission Review.  However, a few issues still need to be addressed and this process will require continued support and action from the food and drink industry.

Bonne lecture!

Daniela Israelachwili
Director General