The European Commission (EC) has proposed a new data protection framework seeking to streamline existing directives and strengthen individuals’ online privacy rights. Titled “Safeguarding Privacy in a Connected World: A European Data Protection Framework for the 21st Century,” the proposed regulations would provide “a single set of rules” within the European Union (EU) and also apply to companies “active in the EU market” that handle personal data abroad. In particular, the framework would stipulate “increased responsibility and accountability for those processing personal data” such as names, photos, information posted on social networking sites, or computer IP and email addresses. Under the proposed rules, companies must obtain explicit user consent to gather personal data and must report within 24 hours (or as soon as possible) any security breach to a national supervisory authority, which “will be empowered to fine companies that violate EU data protection rules… up to €1 million or…
Category Archives Issue 424
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have announced a February 14, 2012, public meeting in Arlington, Virginia, to provide information and receive public comments on draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 44th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) on April 23-28 in Shanghai, China. CCPR is responsible for establishing maximum pesticide-residue limits in specific food items, food groups or in “certain animal feeding stuffs moving in international trade where this is justified for reasons of protection of human health.” See Federal Register, January 23, 2012.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a final rule updating the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs “to align them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” Effective March 26, 2012, the rule seeks to reduce childhood obesity by requiring schools to (i) “increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals”; (ii) “reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals”; and (iii) “meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements.” According to USDA, the new standards reflect the recommendations of an Institute of Medicine expert panel as well as 132,000 public comments. Estimated to add $3.2 billion to school meal costs over five years, the final rule only partially implements the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010, which also includes a mandate to set nutritional standards for foods and beverages…
Four members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced bipartisan legislation (H.R. 3798) that would provide “a uniform national standard for the housing and treatment of egg-laying hens.” According to the bill’s lead author, Representative Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012 would also bring sustainability to the egg industry by avoiding a “problematic patchwork of state laws.” Noting that the proposed measure formalizes a 2011 agreement between the United Egg Producers and The Humane Society of the United States, Schrader said the proposal would require egg producers to nearly double the housing space allotted to egg-laying hens and make other “significant animal welfare improvements” within a 15- to 18-year phase-in period. More specifically, the legislation advocates (i) replacing conventional cages with “enriched colony housing systems” that feature perches, nesting boxes and scratching areas; (ii) labeling on egg cartons that discloses the method used to…
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