EU BAN ON SUPPLEMENTS IS AS TRANSPARENT AS A BLACK BOX

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 10:03:13 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release 25 January 2005

EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE ADVOCATE GENERAL DESCRIBES EU FOOD SUPPLEMENTS DIRECTIVE VITAMIN AND MINERAL PROCEDURE "AS TRANSPARENT AS A BLACK BOX"

UK GOVERNMENT DECIDES NOT TO ATTEND COURT HEARING TO MAKE ITS OBJECTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE

The Alliance for Natural Health today presented its oral submission to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg in its landmark case challenging the ban in the EU Food Supplements Directive on 75% of vitamin and mineral forms currently sold in the EU market. Unless listed on an approved so called "positive list" these nutrients will be banned throughout the EU from 1st August 2005.

Opposing oral submissions were made by the European Commission, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and only one EU Member State, Greece.

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Supplements case to go to European Court

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 17:09:14 +0000

LONDON 30 January 2004 - The London High Court ruled today that the case against the European food supplements directive may be referred to the European Court of Justice. Mr Justice Richards ruled that there is "an arguable case" and that reference [of the the matter] to the EU Court of Justice "is plainly appropriate and should be made as soon as possible".

"This is an important breakthrough in our battle to secure diversity in medicine and broad availability of natural health options for people across Europe", says Ivan Ingrilli, chairman of La Leva di Archimede, a group that has been active for years and has challenged the directive both with the European Parliament and the Commission in the early stages of discussion.

There is a BBC News report on the court's decision.

And here a statement of the Alliance for Natural Health, one of the groups that have won the day in court and a report from John Hammell of International Advocates for Health Freedom.

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