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News 21st February 2002 MEP
condemns harmonisation for the sake of harmonisation over vitamin supplements John Bowis – Conservative Health & Consumer Affairs spokesman and Member of the European Parliament for London – has attacked a vote in the European Parliament today that will restrict the choice of availability of vitamin supplements as harmonisation, purely for the sake of harmonisation. Speaking from the European Parliament in Brussels John Bowis said, “British consumers should have the right to choose what quantity of vitamin supplements they want to buy. This is another example of the European Union interfering in people’ lives, when it is not necessary and brings no benefits to consumers whatsoever. Quite simple, this is harmonisation for the sake of harmonisation. ” John Bowis continued, “There is not a single recorded case of a death caused by an overdose of vitamin supplements. This directive is not about consumer safety, but about the EU interfering in peoples’ lives. Many of my constituents have informed me, that they depend on food supplements such as vitamins, minerals and plant extracts and it is right that we defend the rights of consumers who want to buy these products. Conservatives want food supplements to be regulated by setting an upper safety limit, but leaving consumers and their advisers to decide what level below that to take.” “Today’s
vote in the European Parliament is bad for consumer choice, damaging to
the free market and further alienates the people of Europe, from the institutions
that are meant to work in their interests. The Commission should recognise
that standardisation for the sake of standardisation is detrimental to
the needs of the consumer.” Notes: Germany & France have different systems to the UK’s, Ireland’s & Holland’s. In 1943 American GIs fighting in Europe were given a recommended minimum daily allowance of vitamins to prevent scurvy and beri beri. That minimum level has come to be the German & French maximum above which products are deemed to be pharmaceuticals. |
