Sweden is pushing for a EU-wide ban on PFAS
On July 18, 2021, Sweden, along with four other European bodies, submitted to the EU Chemicals Authority (ECHA) to ban PFAS chemicals within the EU for all non-EU uses. necessary for society.
PFAS is very persistent in the environment and some PFAS have been shown to be harmful to health. PFAS, also known as high fluorine substances, is a group of synthetically produced chemicals. To date, thousands of substances have been identified and they are widely used in society – including clothing, footwear, food packaging, cosmetics, cleaning agents and fire-fighting foams. What all PFAS have in common is that they do not break down in the environment. Almost everyone has PFAS in the body, and PFAS occurs everywhere in the environment. Many PFAS are also water and soil soluble, which puts drinking water sources at risk of contamination.
According to the Swedish Chemicals Agency, the European Commission has made it clear that it wants to phase out PFAS for uses that are not socially necessary. Therefore, the proposal is highly likely to be approved. If the ban is passed, it is expected to go into effect in 2025.
Some general legal requirements when importing coffee into the Nordic market
The EU has a dual approach to harmonizing food law: a “horizontal” legal system that covers aspects common to all foods (such as additives, labeling, hygiene, etc.). ) and “vertical” legal systems for specific products (e.g., coffee). Businesses note that products may be subject to a number of different regulations.
The Common Food Law (EC) 178/2002, which provides the legal foundations for EU food safety, is a framework document that sets out all the general principles, including the precautionary principle, the requirements and procedures related to food safety, and crisis management.
Besides the main provisions mentioned above, the legal basis for food safety is also governed by regulations on permissible safety thresholds, which are:
Regulation (EC) 1881/2006 on maximum levels of contaminants in food was issued in 2006 and updated in 2020;
Regulation (EC) 396/2005 on the threshold of pesticide residues on food and fodder of animal and plant origin was issued in 2005 and updated in 2021;
Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for food was issued in 2005 and updated in 2020...
Coffee imported into the Nordic region is required to comply with the general requirements and regulations of the European Union for food.
The coffee item that needs the most attention is traceability and food hygiene and safety. Particular attention should be paid to specific sources of contamination, the most common of which are pesticides (maximum residue MRLs for each pesticide), mycotoxins (fungi), salmonella (low risk). for coffee)…
The Swedish Chemicals Agency initiates a project to monitor harmful substances in summer products
The Swedish Chemicals Agency has initiated a project to monitor hazardous substances in summer products such as saunas, beach mattresses, bath slippers, coolers, fishing equipment and other products. garden. The project will monitor online stores and petrol stations with the aim of minimizing the risk of consumer exposure to hazardous substances.
The inspection project will focus on products that the Swedish Chemicals Agency finds problematic such as soft PVC that can be found in summer inflatables, cheap electronics that can contain lead and cadmium and materials foaming material in bathroom slippers… Testing for these hazardous substances will comply with the EU REACH Regulation.
Danish DIY retail system
DIY is an acronym for Do It Yourself, which translates to "Do it yourself". Do it yourself, create or repair a product based on your own creativity.
DIY is a term that has appeared for quite a while in the world and it is gradually becoming a trend that many people love. DIY can be decorating the house yourself, sewing your own clothes, growing your own plants, or repairing household items yourself.
Silvan is one of the largest DIY chain stores in Denmark. Silvan offers a wide range of homemade goods for consumers and professional craftsmen.
Most construction materials, hand tools, power tools, paints, garden supplies, gardening products, home decor, home textiles, furniture, kitchens, wood, flooring , lighting, kitchenware, plumbing and sanitary ware and many more products found in DIY stores.
On the surfaSome discount DIYs mainly focus on offering their products at competitive prices. Mega DIYs focuses on being able to offer a wide selection of construction products in each product category. Dedicated DIYs focus on providing a wide selection of products in a category they are experts in.
most DIY stores look the same. However, when you take a closer look at each DIY, you'll see significant differences.
Timber stores and construction merchants can, for example, be featured as specialized DIYs. The DIYs focused service will find the best employees possible and train them so that they can guide customers in the best possible way. Local DIYs focuses on providing a wide range of products that meet the needs of ordinary locals. Every DIY chain or DIY store carefully chooses their parametric focus to be as successful as possible…
Timber stores and construction merchants can, for example, be featured as specialized DIYs. The DIYs focused service will find the best employees possible and train them so that they can guide customers in the best possible way. Local DIYs focuses on providing a wide range of products that meet the needs of ordinary locals. Every DIY chain or DIY store carefully chooses their parametric focus to be as successful as possible…
Labeling requirements for coffee imported into the Nordic region
Exported coffee labels must comply with the common food labeling requirements of the European Union in regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on Food Information for Consumers (FIC) issued by the European Commission on November 22, 2011. This regulation applies to all prepackaged foods and beverages sold in the EU as of December 13, 2014. Nutrition declaration is mandatory and will be applied from December 13, 2016. A summary of the general labeling requirements is provided below.
In addition, coffee labels need additional information to ensure traceability of each batch:
Product's name;
International Coffee Organization ICO format code;
Country of origin (ie Vietnam);
Classification/grade;
Net weight in kg;
For certified coffee: the name and code of the inspection body and the certification number.
For extracted, instant or instant coffee (except for instant torrefacto coffee, which is coffee roasted by a process that includes the addition of a certain amount of sugar during roasting) a statement is required. Specific labels apply such as “coffee extract”, “instant coffee extract”, “instant coffee” or “instant coffee”. The term “concentrated” may only appear on the label if the coffee dry matter content is more than 25% by weight, while the term “decaffeinated” must appear if the anhydrous caffeine content does not exceed 0.3 % by weight of coffee dry matter. This information must be in the same sales description…
Source: Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden
