11 replies to this topic

[SHQuality]

Why isn't there a subforum for EU Regulations?

[Simon]

Hi, it was the first time it was asked in many years.

If there is a demand for it, meaning it will be used, then we will happily add one.

[SHQuality]

I would use it and I'm sure other people who have to deal with EU regulations would too, if it was available.

Maybe it's an idea to create one and have a trial period?

Edited by SHQuality, 25 January 2023 - 06:59 AM.

[pHruit]

Perhaps the UK subforum could be expanded to be e.g. EU and UK?

I don't want to tempt fate too much, but most of the UK's food regs are still heavily derived from their EU counterparts*, and part of the UK still follows the EU regs directly. Would perhaps make for slightly more activity than EU or UK alone, whilst exposing questions to two groups who are both potentially going to have relevant knowledge?

 

 

*At the time of writing, ignoring the bits where we've already started diverging. May be subject to change without notice.

[SHQuality]

Perhaps the UK subforum could be expanded to be e.g. EU and UK?

I don't want to tempt fate too much, but most of the UK's food regs are still heavily derived from their EU counterparts*, and part of the UK still follows the EU regs directly. Would perhaps make for slightly more activity than EU or UK alone, whilst exposing questions to two groups who are both potentially going to have relevant knowledge?

 

 

*At the time of writing, ignoring the bits where we've already started diverging. May be subject to change without notice.

Can you summarize which points do UK is diverging on? I haven't been informed on any changes except for a whole lot of additional shipping documentation.

What are the changes QA-wise?

[pHruit]

Can you summarize which points do UK is diverging on?

It's a little bit uncertain in some areas. Obviously the import/export requirements are a new thing, but there is actual divergence starting to occur on the food regulation side, via two different routes:

 

1) EU changes made since Brexit, which have not been implemented in the UK. Examples include e.g. contaminants regs (1881/2006 amendments) and additives, with withdrawal of the authorisation for titanium dioxide not applying in the UK. It's therefore still authorised in the original categories here, at least in England/Scotland/Wales - as Northern Ireland still follows EU regs, it is no longer authorised there.

 

2) UK changes since Brexit. For example, pesticide authorisation and MRLs are now set nationally here. Additionally it's been set up such that, unlike the EU, a regulatory amendment isn't required to change an authorisation or MRL - instead it is done via an official register.

 

As for further changes, it's currently a giant unknown. The law that moved EU regs into retained UK regs included a "sunset" date meaning that most of these were due to automatically expire at the end of this year. There was a (frankly ridiculous) proposal to completely rewrite all food regulation ready for this, but it is laughably impractical to redo such a large and complex body of law with the limited resources available in that sort of timescale, so in practice this won't happen. What the next few years holds is really anybody's guess though.

 

Many of our non-UK suppliers, and particularly those outside the EU, are already complaining that it is becoming very difficult for them to determine if their products do or don't meet current UK regulations, and that seems likely to get worse rather than better

[SHQuality]

I feel the same.

It's hard enough to comply with legislation you know about, but it's utterly impractical to keep up with different changes for different countries on such a wide body of law.

 

Where can I find the official UK register of pesticide MRLs? I'm not keen on comparing 700+ MRLs, but at least knowing if your product complies would be a lot easier with the right sources.

[pHruit]

Where can I find the official UK register of pesticide MRLs? I'm not keen on comparing 700+ MRLs, but at least knowing if your product complies would be a lot easier with the right sources.

GB MRL Statutory Register available here: https://secure.pesti...ov.uk/MRLs/Main

 

It is at least reasonably easy to use - once you're in, parts of it will look very familiar to you if you're used to using the EU one

[SHQuality]

Great! I've looked at the UK database for just 1 minute and I've already spotted a pesticide not covered by the EU legislation...

[Simon]

This topic has been moved to the new EU Regulations forum.

[pHruit]

Thanks Simon.

Does that mean I'll now get a ban for having used this thread to talk about UK regulations in the EU forum?

[SHQuality]

This topic has been moved to the new EU Regulations forum.

 

Thanks for making the forum and moving this post, Simon.