Press Release: Consumer safety and choice are paramount in new rules on vitamin and mineral food supplements

The European Commission adopted a proposal 10.5.00 for a Directive on Food Supplements setting out harmonised rules for the sale of vitamins and minerals as dietary supplements. Informed consumer choice and safety are the key concerns driving this Commission initiative. The proposal responds to an increase in the use of pills and capsules as diet supplements and to varying national rules and attitudes to the proliferation of these products. The objective of the proposal is two-fold. First, to set out a general framework and safety rules for vitamins and minerals in the European Union. Second, to give the consumer detailed information with labelling such as recommended daily consumption, a warning about exceeding this limit or a breakdown of contents of minerals and vitamins.