The French government has notified the Commission of its intention to restrict the use of all Bisphenol A (BPA)-based food contact packaging in France. PlasticsEurope, EMPAC, the European Metal Packaging Association and the Association of the Food and Drink Manufacturing Industries of the EU have written a strong letter to the Commission's DG for Health and Consumers, to all health and food safety organisations in member states and to permanent representatives. The letter explains that the French decision overrides several of the principles of the Treaty on the European Union and there are detailed Annexes that explain why. The main conclusions are: The proposed restriction contradicts the existing European and global conclusions on the safety of BPA-based food contact materials and lacks an appropriate scientific basis that could justify such a disproportionate wide-ranging measures. The proposed restriction undermines the current regulatory framework in Europe for risk management and: as a consequence of the above, we consider this to be unjustifiable unilateral interference in the working of the internal market.
