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The Brewers of Europe Organisation, representing 90% of European breweries, said that the European brewing industry would commit itself to indicating the number of calories and the list of ingredients on beer labels by 2022 at the latest. The agreement with the European Commission should be signed in September 2019. Currently, there are about 60% of beers with indicated calories and 85% of beers with listed ingredients. Brewers of Europe are working with cider producers to join the deal.

In the context of the planned adoption of the Consumer Package, which also includes the issue of dual quality food in the EU, Nestlé representatives said that they do not intend to change the actual composition of the products, nor do they intend to provide information on different compositions directly on food labels. However, according to the representatives, Nestlé should provide information on the composition of the products for all foods online.

On 13/06/2019, the EU Council formally adopted a proposal by the EP and the Council for a regulation on the transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment system. The reform of the so-called EU General Food Law will affect all sectors in the agro-food industry. Companies producing pesticides, genetically modified foods, additives or food flavourings will have to publish scientific studies that they submit to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) during the approval process, in order to raise EU citizens' awareness and confidence in the risk assessment system. The regulation will now be published in the Official Journal of the EU; most of the measures will enter into force at the end of March 2021.

The Austrian Parliament will vote on the proposal to introduce a total ban on the use of glyphosate on 02/07/2019. A total ban on the use of the substance is supported by the Social Democrats and the far-right Freedom Party, therefore the proposal is likely to be approved. According to representatives of the Freedom Party, negotiations are still ongoing on rules for a transitional period, which should facilitate the shift to alternative environmentally and consumer friendly products. Austria could thus become the first EU state to completely ban the use of glyphosate.

More information is available here and here.

The European Commission is asking Member States to comment on the analysis of measures regulating endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are currently regulated in various laws and regulations, and according to the Commission, comments will be taken into account in further work on the regulation of endocrine disruptors. The Commission will summarize the received comments in a summary report. All regulations on endocrine disruptors and the laws that are affected by these regulations should be analysed. The Commission will also focus on harmonization of the legislation at EU level.

It is possible to submit feedback until 10/07/2019 here.