Croatian MEP Tonino Picula asked the European Commission can they consider to include ‘raw stevia’ in the Novel Food Catalogue.
As a result of Croatia’s membership of the EU, many farmers have found that their products are impossible to sell and that continuing to grow stevia does not pay: these problems have been caused by the application of Regulation (EC) No 258/97 and the failure to include ‘raw stevia’ in the Novel Food Catalogue, explains Picula and said that at the same time "extract made from Stevia is approved in the EU as a food additive and is used as an artificial sweetener."
Picula called the Commission to allow the use and of course, the sale of so-called Green stevia - the plant which is naturally grown.
"Can we expect a change in the status of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in the light of the new Regulation EU No 2015/2283, which is to apply from the end of 2017?" asked Picula and said that he expects the Commission to reconsider placing Stevia to the list of permitted food, just as many countries like the US and Japan also did. He also reminded the Commission that, with the Croatian membership in the EU, series of farmers faced with the impossibility of placement of their products and unprofitable maintenance of plantations of stevia."
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