Has the European Commission gone loco with its organic logo plans? Certainly, many of the leading champions of the organic movement believe that it has gone completely off the rails if it thinks they will support its plans for a new EU-wide standard logo. They also allege it is undermining the credibility and integrity of the organic tag.

We waited for years for the outcome of the review of the Novel Food Regulation (258/97), which began in 2002. It eventually resulted in a proposal for a new Regulation in mid-January 2008, and immediately got a reckless shove in the back from the Slovenes, holders of the Presidency, who stated their aspiration to get it through the due processes of EU law making by June! Breakneck progress by European standards.

After two decades of debate, 2008 sees the Food Supplements Directive lumber into the end game of the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in supplements.

This year has been a very busy year from a regulatory perspective for the EU food sector. Legislation has been developed on additives, enzymes and flavourings. The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation as well as the Regulation on the addition of nutrients to foods have become applicable.

Revising legislation on labelling has been on the European Commission's agenda for the last few years.

When the European Commission's long-awaited White Paper on nutrition, overweight and obesity was finally published on May 30, many thought it would deliver a significant step towards solving the obesity crisis across Europe.

The essential criteria for good legislation, that it must be clear and easy to understand, and uniformly interpreted and enforced, are ignored at our peril. However, in the drafting of legislation or the assessment of existing structures, the golden rule of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' is often forgotten.

From a regulatory perspective, 2007 will be a busy year for the EU food sector. European legislators are absorbed with additives, enzymes and flavourings legislation, and new proposals are expected from the European Commission (EC) on nutrition labelling, novel foods, and maximum levels for vitamins and minerals.