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'Project largo' – complete revision of the swiss foodstuffs act (LMP)

On 20 June 2014, the Swiss parliament agreed to undertake a complete revision of the new Foodstuffs Act. The measure aims to harmonise Switzerland’s law on foodstuffs with that of the European Union (EU), and will primarily affect its content and structure.

These efforts to adjust the legal framework will focus on the following drivers:

  • Food safety as the top priority of consumer protection
  • Matching the level of food safety to that in the EU
  • Breaking down barriers to trade with the EU
  • Upholding bilateral treaties
  • Creating the conditions required to participate in safety systems run by the EU (RASFF, RAPEX, EFSA)

However, it should be noted that EU law will not/cannot be adopted 1:1. The most important planned changes are summarised below:

  • Adoption of the definition of ‘food’ used in Directive (EC) 178/2002
  • Adoption of the provisions on food safety
  • Adoption of the European principle of protection against deception and expansion of the principle to include utility articles
  • Adoption of the principle of maximum quantities and removal of the ‘tolerance/limit value system’
  • Anchoring of the precautionary principle
  • More transparency in checks by enforcement authorities
  • Strengthening of the principle of traceability and self-supervision
  • Adoption of the ‘novel food concept’ and removal of the principle of positivity (i.e. everything that is not expressly permitted is prohibited)

All relevant information on the complete revision, as well as drafts of the new ordinances, were made available to all interested groups of the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) at the end of June 2015. The consultation process is being carried out under the name ‘Project LARGO’. Under the project, stakeholders will be able to express their views on the new law until 30 October 2015.
It is planned that the revised LMG will enter into force in mid-2016.

You will find more information and all relevant documents on the BLV website at:

http://www.blv.admin.ch/dokumentation/01013/05845/05846/index.html?lang=de

UFAG Laboratorien AG recommends that customers start thinking about this matter in good time, as the planned changes could be quite far-reaching. Requirements in terms of regulatory knowledge and expertise in food chemistry will increase. In addition, companies will have to take on even more responsibility due to the anchoring of the precautionary principle. This will affect the entire supply chain. Official checks will also be expanded and are expected to become more strict.

The support of a competent and reliable partner can be very valuable in such a situation. You can benefit from our expertise – we would be very happy to support you!

[Translate to english:] Recht
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