More good news as European Commission confirms CBD food status

CBD can be qualified as food, the European Commission (EC) has confirmed, giving the go-ahead for the novel foods process to resume in the Eurozone.

The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) received confirmation of the decision just moments after the UN recognised the medicinal value of cannabis and agreed to reschedule it.

The EC reviewed its preliminary decision to classify CBD as a narcotic drug following a landmark ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) two weeks ago.

EIHA managing director, Lorenza Romanese, said:

“As predicted, the ECJ ruling has had a positive effect on the Commission’s position.

“Now that CBD can be qualified as food, the EIHA Novel Food joint application isperfectly set up for achieving safety assessment and standards for our growing industry.

“We also welcome the vote of the United Nations, which leads to a modern and sound scientific approach regarding cannabis in general.”

Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) made the ruling in a French case against a Czech company that was found to be selling e-liquid containing CBD derived from the whole cannabis plant.

France only allows for CBD to be extracted from the seeds or fibre of the plant.

However, the court ruled that a “Member State may not prohibit the marketing of cannabidiol (CBD) lawfully produced in another Member State whenit isextracted from the Cannabis sativa plant in its entirety and not solely from its fibre and seeds.”

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) paused all novel foods applications in June this year, when the EC made its preliminary ruling to classify CBD as a narcotic drug.

The EIHA said in a press release that the EC’s statement meant that ‘the validity of EIHA’s Novel Food application has been resumed.’

The EFSA has been contacted for comment.