Human consumption: new sweeteners additives, sucralose and salt of aspartame (amend. Directive 94/35/EC)

The committee adopted the report by Anne FERREIRA (PES, F) amending the proposal under the codecision procedure (1st reading). After a heated debate, the committee voted to reduce the maximum doses of cyclamates in soft drinks from the level of 350 mg/l proposed by the Commission to 250 mg/l and to extend the new limit to milk-based drinks in addition to water-based drinks. The report called for the use of two new sweeteners authorised in the proposal (sucralose and aspartame-acesulfame salt) to be reviewed within three years, with particular attention being focused on the effects on children's health. It also said that the use of two other artificial sweeteners, aspartame and Stevia, should be re-examined and called for proposals to improve the labelling of products containing aspartame. Lastly, the committee said that the new directive should be implemented in the Member States within a year of its entry into force.�