Policy Papers

Comments on Cereal-Based foods and Baby Foods Directive and Parnuts Directive and background papers

Codex papers posted 29 November 2006:

• IBFAN comments on the Proposed Draft Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children.
• Codex report of the thirty-seventh session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene.
• Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children at Step 3 - prepared by Codex working group.

European Charter adopted to reverse the obesity epidemic (WHO Europe press release 16 November 2006 - download charter). Briefing on obesity and infant feeding presented by Baby Milk Action to this meeting - download a pdf or buy as an A3 poster.

Codex nutrition meeting, Thailand, 2006.

Tackling obesity

Please send a letter calling for European Union regulations for the marketing of breastmilk substitutes to be brought into line with World Health Assembly standards. Now is the critical time. Click here for a suggested letter which is easy to email or post. Letters have been sent to the Food Standards Agency and/or European Commission or Parliament by the following organisations (click to download as pdf files):

2005 consultation- also see comments collected on the European Union website

• Baby Feeding Law Group
• The Breastfeeding Network
• European community of consumer cooperatives (to MEPs)
• The European Consumers' Organisation
• European Public Health Alliance
• Geneva Infant Feeding Association
• IBFAN/ Baby Milk Action revised comments
• Nordic Work Group for International Breastfeeding Issues
• Save the Children
• Standing Committee on Nutrition of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

2004 consultation

• Association of Radical Midwives
• Baby Feeding Law Group
• The Breastfeeding Network
• Community Practioners and Health Visitors Association
• European Network of Childbirth Associations
• Food Commission
• International Association of Consumer Food Organizations
• International Baby Food Action Network
• International Code Documentation Centre
• National Childbirth Trust (2nd consultation)
• National Childbirth Trust (1st consultation)
• National Heart Forum
• Royal College of Nurses
• UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative

Also see the activities section of the IBFAN website, particularly the section on the World Health Assembly and Codex Alimentarius. Stay here for policy papers relating to UK and EU regulations.

Baby Milk Action submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child Discussion Day, September 2004: Early childhood development: "Starting sound practices early, Guaranteeing the rights to survival and development of young children, including the rights to health, nutrition and education.”

The impact of commercial research on infant feeding

Draft World Health Assembly Resolution 57.4 (pdf file) calling for warnings that formula is not sterile and ban on baby food companies sponsoring health workers (see Update 35).

Follow-on formulas:are they necessary? should they be promoted? (Colour briefing paper June 2004 - pdf). Page 1 and Page 2.

Letter to EU Commission concerning declarations of interest of scientists on official committees - 17 June 2004. (For background see Update 34).

Letter to the EU Commission’s Research DG (pdf) about its policy on funding which encourages applicants to collaborate with ‘small medium enterprises’ (SMEs).

Baby Milk Action's comments during the UK Government's Choosing Health, Making Healthier Choices Easier consultation.

European Union working document for a proposal for a recast commission directive on infant formulae and follow-on formulae.

• Main comments from IDACE, the food industry body.

• Detailed comments from IDACE.

• Comments from IBFAN.

Baby Milk Action comments on Codex procedures - posted on the Food and Agriculture Organisation site - 18 November 2003.

Policy paper on regulations for health claims made about foods October 2003 (pdf) Baby Milk Action Response to a Commission Proposal for a Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims (COM(2003) 424 final 2003/0165 (COD)) October 2003.

Policy paper on contaminants in baby foods September 2003 (pdf) Partial regulatory impact assessment processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children (England) Regulations 2004 and Draft infant formula and follow-on formula (amendment) (England) Regulations 2004, Implementing Commission Directives 2003/13/EC and 2003/14/EC (amending Directive 91/321/EEC)

Policy paper September 2003 (pdf): Report of the Scientific Committee on Food on the Revision of Essential Requirements of Infant Formulae and Follow-on Formulae SCF/CS/NUT/IF/65 Final 18 May 2003.

UK and EU legislation and why these need changing to protect infant and young child health.

Comparison of legislation in EU countries (184 kb pdf)