HFI Press Statement 25/02/2021
European Commission Provides Clarity for Irish Hemp Industry Stakeholders as Hemp Federation Ireland announces Irish investments in a €3.5 million Hemp Consortium.
Hemp Federation Ireland (HFI) is pleased to announce the Novel Food applications of Irish companies were submitted earlier this week under the UK Food Safety Authority's certification framework. The application was made through EIHA Projects GmbH; a Consortium initiative of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA).
Despite extraordinary regulatory confusion surrounding the CBD industry in Ireland, the applications of Irish companies under the European Commission's separate certification pathway, will also be submitted through EIHA projects GmbH in the coming weeks.
The EU Consortium's combined financial investment of €3.5 million will fund an unprecedented range of toxicological studies to demonstrate the safety of natural isolate and Full Spectrum CBD hemp foods and extracts. The CBD toxicological studies will be undertaken by the Consortium's scientific partner ChemSafe.
In parallel, the Consortium will also fund the largest-ever research study on the impacts of trace levels of THC on human health. The research, involving 200 participants, at a cost of 1.6 million euros, will deliver the most comprehensive portfolio of scientific data to provide a reliable basis for establishing appropriate, safe levels of THC in food.
The decision of Irish companies to proceed with the investment followed regulatory clarifications provided by the EU Commission at the request of Hemp Federation Ireland.
Chris Allen, executive director of HFI, said she sought clarity from the Commission to address an extraordinary incoherence between the advice she received about EU regulations from Irish authorities, and the advice being provided by the EU Commission itself. Miss Allen said the resulting confusion was preventing Irish companies from participating alongside their EU industry colleagues in the rapid expansion and development of the European market."
Ms Allen said "the Food Safety Authority of Ireland had previously informed companies that costly EU Novel Food certification, administered by the European Commission was a compulsory requirement but then FSAI appeared to reject the EU Commission's corresponding regulations."
The EU Commission agreed that Hemp Federation Ireland's understanding of EU law and regulations concerning hemp foods was correct.
The Commission confirmed that CBD is a food and is regulated under EU food law; that natural CBD - which also contains trace amounts of THC - is also regulated as food by EU authorities; and that CBD, made from all parts of the hemp plant, is also a food and is regulated as such by European authorities. The Commission also advised that it has already begun the process of establishing authorised THC values for hemp food products in Europe.
The Commission clarified its authority over the EU Novel Food certification of our products, stating that "[t]he verification of the validity of a novel food application lies with the Commission and as mentioned in the press release, the Commission has resumed the verification process."
Ms Allen again stressed that the EU adopts a democratically unified position on the United Nations Single Convention and that Ireland had now deviated significantly from that united position. Ms Allen said;"because the Convention protects human life and health, the EU Commission takes a very firm stance on deviant Member States. "Only yesterday the Commission launched infringement proceedings against Hungary for its noncompliance with the EU's position last December" Ms Allen said.
Hemp Federation Ireland has written to Irish Ministers for Health, Justice, Agriculture and Finance informing them of the EU Commission's further guidance on EU governance of the industry. Miss Allen said; 'the Commission has once again been very clear; there is no valid reason for further inaccurate interpretations of European legislation and regulation by Irish authorities". She said she hoped Minister Donnelly would now come in line with European Commission rules and regulations as all other Member States had already done.
Ms Allen said Irish companies who are members of the EIHA Consortium will have five years of market exclusivity for their products once the applications are validated by the Commission.