The questionnaire is targeted primarily at feed additive manufacturers and feed producers in the EU and invites them to provide their thoughts on the policy options developed by the European Commission, the potential effects of those options and their feasibility.
The responses will inform an impact assessment exercise being planned in the context of the reform of Regulation 1831/2003.
A high level of participation by the feed additive industry and other interested stakeholders in the survey, which is being administered by the ICF, will strengthen the impact assessment analysis, said the Commission.
The ICF is providing support to the EU executive in preparation of the impact assessment.
F2F strategy
EU rules on feed additives ensure that only those that are safe and effective can be sold in the EU.
The Commission said the update will make it easier to bring sustainable and innovative additives to market and to streamline the authorization process without compromising health and food safety.
The revision, it adds, should also make livestock farming more sustainable and reduce its environmental impact in line with the EU Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy.
Incentives needed for generic additive producers
A key challenge for the decision makers, noted Asbjørn Børsting, FEFAC president, back in December 2020, will be to keep suppliers of feed additives, especially generic ones, motivated to apply, not only for authorization of new substances, but also for renewal of authorization of existing feed additives.
During the consultation phase early last year, where the Commission also sought feedback on the reform, FEFAC raised the challenges around securing authorization of generic feed additives, in particular in relation to technological and nutritional products.
“The situation is critical for minor uses and for certain functional groups such as antioxidants with only a few substances left. The legal framework must be adapted to reduce the high costs of the (re-) authorization process and provide applicants incentives to submit applications.”
The EU is too dependent on Asia for its supply of certain essential feed additives, in particular those produced by fermentation, due in a large part to the gap in regulatory production costs, said the trade group.
“This puts the EU not only at risk of shortage of supply of key substances for animal welfare like vitamins but also increases the vulnerability of the EU to fraud.”