Welcome to the 8th edition of CIAA’s e-newsletter.

2007 has proven to be an active year within Europe’s food and drink industry. Several high level meetings and events with key stakeholders have taken place, with a focus on competitiveness and healthy lifestyles.

CIAA’s launch event for its Environment Review entitled "Managing Environmental Sustainability in the European Food and Drink Industries" on 26 October was a huge success attracting over 70 participants.
DG Enterprise held its Competitiveness Conference from 15–16 November, the CIAA SAI Platform Conference was held on 22–23 November, and a DG Agriculture Health Check Seminar was held on 6 December. Further information about these events can be found later in this newsletter.

The adoption of the draft Novel Food regulation is now expected in January 2008. Exclusive access to the market for innovative products, combined with short, predictable and proportionate procedures, have been the consistent demands of the food industry.

DG Sanco has recently published a draft proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers. CIAA welcomed the European Commission’s draft proposal and also its recognition granted to the Food and Drink industry’s self-regulatory commitment, its GDA scheme and reference values. However, we nonetheless have some strong concerns in relation to the proposed approach. The main points of the proposal of most concern to us include governance, simplification, labelling and origin.

Save these dates!  From 27–28 November 2008, CIAA shall host its Congress at the famous "Autoworld" in Brussels, which you are all invited to. More information will be available soon...

The CIAA would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas; we look forward to an active and prosperous year in 2008!