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The Alliance for Natural Health today presented its oral submission to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg in its landmark case challenging the ban in the EU Food Supplements Directive on 75% of vitamin and mineral forms currently sold in the EU market. If the challenge fails, the ban is due to come into effect on 1 August 2005. After that date only those vitamins on the Boots Supplements Directive will be legal and over 5000 products will disappear from the shelves of UK health stores, removing access to over 300 vitamin and mineral ingredients (out of a total of 420). These include amongst others the main natural forms of Vitamin E, many forms of vitamin C and MSM and minerals such as vanadium, silicon and boron, all being products which millions of consumers choose to take as part of their regular health regime and have done so without any ill effects for many years. The Alliance for Natural Health says products are to be banned with absolutely no scientific justification and many of the world's leading scientific and medical experts in nutrition support their view. Opposing oral submissions were made by the European Commission, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and only one EU Member State, Greece. Interestingly, neither the UK government nor Portugal attended to present oral arguments despite having filed Written Observations in the case. This means that none of the major EU countries felt the need to oppose the Alliance's application for a declaration that the ban in the Directive was unlawful. David Hinde Solicitor and ANH Legal Director said: "Given the vigour
with which the UK government resisted this application at the Judicial
Review stage, it was extraordinary it did not now think the issue
sufficiently important to warrant being represented at the European
Court to make oral submissions. The question inevitably arises whether
this signifies a change of attitude on their part and a retreat from
their previously bullish position about the legality of the Directive." The Advocate General announced that he would deliver his opinion on 5th April 2005 and the Court is expected to give its judgement in June. Full details can be found on the Alliance for Natural Health website. (Source: Positive News: http://www.positivenews.org.uk/index.php)
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Alliance
for Natural Health Challenges Supplement Ban in European Court of
Justice