Open Board Meeting video-on-demand

Meeting with Commissioner Kuneva
Chair Deirdre Hutton reported that she had an introductory meeting with Meglena Kuneva on 24 May. Mrs Kuneva, a Bulgarian, was appointed European Commissioner for Consumer Protection in January 2007, partly as a result of the expansion of the EU and the inclusion of the accession states.

She had taken part of Marcos Kyprianou's portfolio at DG SANCO and was supported by its staff and Director Robert Madelin.

Her responsibilities broadly covered consumer protection, including the relatively new Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and product and service safety, internet trading, enforcement and consumer redress. But food safety, food controls and related consumer protection issues remained under Mr Kyprianou, Deirdre Hutton said.

The Chair explained the role of the Agency in fulfilling its core mandate of putting the consumer first, and how the Agency had responded to consumer demands for a clear and consistent front-of-pack labelling system to convey key nutritional information. The Commissioner was interested in this.

The Chair said that she picked up from Mrs Kuneva's evidence to the European Parliament that her priorities were for serious research and better communication. She also briefed the Commissioner on the current HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) proposal relating to small businesses.

Campden lecture/open day
Deirdre Hutton reported on her lecture and said that Campden and Chorleywood Research Association was the world's largest membership-based food and drink research centre. Quite a lot of Agency research money was vested in contracts with the organisation, she said.

It was a very useful day and there was a big audience of 150. It was an opportunity to set out where the Agency is now in terms of science, management, its approach to nutrition and food safety.

But it was also an opportunity to lay down some challenges to the industry, in relation to tackling safety in the global food chain, improving diet and encouraging industry to be open and willing to talk.

It was also an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution that the food industry had made in moving things forward, both in terms of food safety and dietary initiatives, said the Chair.

European Wine Reform seminar
Deirdre Hutton reported that she had chaired the seminar, which had been held at the Vintners' Hall. It was a useful event and allowed the opportunity – in an open forum – to welcome the Wine Standards Division of the Agency.

The seminar provided an insight into the work and future direction of wine standards inspection and enforcement in the UK, which transferred to the Agency in July 2006. It also covered different perspectives of the current proposals for European wine reform.