Last update: 02/2004
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What is NF-NET?
Objectives
How will it work?
Achievements
Who benefits?
The role of IDA
Technical information
Documentation
What is NF-NET?
Novel food is defined as foods and ingredients that have not been used for human consumption to a significant degree within the EU before 15 May 1997. NF-NET, an IP-based network, connects Member States and the European Commission as they discuss whether novel foods can enter the European market.
Regulation EC N° 258/97 of 27 January 1997 of the European Parliament and the Council lays out detailed rules for the authorisation of novel foods and novel food ingredients. Foods commercialised in at least one Member State before the entry into force of the Regulation on Novel Foods on 15 May 1997 are on the EU market under the "principle of mutual recognition". In order to ensure the highest level of protection of human health, novel foods must undergo a safety assessment before being placed on the EU market. Only those products considered to be safe for human consumption are authorised for marketing. NF-NET is contributing to this quick assessment of novel food and hence plays a key role in the protection of consumers.
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Objectives
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NF-NET aims to provide a telematics network between EU Member States and the European Commission for the fast exchange of large data files.
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The network aims to allow both the secure handling of confidential information and access to some data by the public.
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Procedures should be open, easy to work with and no extra burden to the user. Its aim is to provide a common structure for handling requests about novel foods and responding to its particular needs.
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How will it work?
Once fully operational, NF-NET will work as a communication and administration system. Member State Novel Foods Authorities (NFAs) will receive a remainder of the days left to submit their potential evaluators' comments or objections to the application for a novel food entering the European market.
All NFAs are connected to DG Health and Consumer Protection via TESTA through their national network. The NF-NET archiving system will create an information set (dossier package) that will include all the information regarding the case.
Each NFA will be able to consult previous evaluations, the dossier under evaluation or package, according to their information needs and their own criteria. NF-NET's flexible structure will allow the development of an efficient interface with the European Food Authority once they are asked to provide scientific advice on questions related to novel foods.
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Achievements
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The application is currently being developed based on functional specifications written in collaboration with the Member States.
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Since February 2003, the first parts of the application are being tested by Member States and the Commission.
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From the second half of 2003, Member States will start to be connected via TESTA.
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By the end of the year, the application is expected to be complete and running without bugs.
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Who benefits?
Citizens: NF-NET contributes to an increased efficiency of the control mechanism on novel food by the competent authorities, without prejudging the principles of the Internal Market. Consumers can consequently be reassured that the novel food, circulating in the market, respects their health. In addition, the public will be able to access some information relevant to novel food via the NF-NET.
Public Administrations: NFAs in the EU Member States will be the main beneficiaries as they will be able to consult the information according to their own specific needs and be automatically reminded how much time is left to formulate their response. Having direct access to all necessary relevant information will allow them to make better-informed decisions and compose their considered responses in a more timely manner helping the Commission consider the case for the introduction of the novel food in question. Better-informed and timely decisions will therefore avoid the application of inappropriate measures, thus creating unjustified obstacles to the circulation of goods.
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The role of IDA
IDA has co-financed the project and is providing its PKI security tools that govern access to NF-NET and the transmission of data. TESTA network will provide users with more secure and higher performance access to the NF-NET application.
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Technical information
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Project start date |
2001 |
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Project completion date |
2003 |
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Project status |
Development |
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IDA budget |
2000 € 117,000
2001 € 550,000
2002 € 150,000
2003 no funding |
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Responsible service |
DG Health and Consumer Protection |
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Project coordinator |
Andreas Klepsch |
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Contact |
idabc@ec.europa.eu |
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Countries involved |
All EU Member States |
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Public website |
http://ec.europa.eu/food/index_en.htm |
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Background documents |
Decision No 1719/1999/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 1999, OJ L 203 of 3.8.1999
Regulation EC N° 258/97 of 27 January 1997
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Documentation: |
Print
NF-NET GIP - May 2001 (PDF)
