The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has sent a strong signal to the CBD industry that there will be no delay to the Novel Foods compliance deadline (31 March 2021), despite the disruption to normal business activity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The FSA has confirmed there will be no change in either its approach to CBD Novel Foods enforcement or the compliance deadline, in a letter to the Cannabis Trades Association (CTA).
The FSA’s letter was in response to a request from the CTA for an extension of the requirements to present a validated Novel Foods Application. In a letter dated 31 March 2020, the CTA told the FSA that its members had been diverting considerable time, resources and money into efforts to support the NHS and other healthcare organisations, including donating – in some cases manufacturing – PPE and hand sanitisers. The CTA said that, in light of the disruption to business and impact on the economy of the the Covid crisis, that requesting an extension to the current compliance deadline was entirely reasonable.
But in a strongly worded reply, an official at the FSA said: “The FSA has not received any evidence in support of the suggestion that recent events with COVID-19 has rendered CBD businesses incapable of formulating novel food applications to the appropriate standard to meet next year’s deadline. This view is additionally in the context of the background to CBD extracts and the fact that CBD businesses have already had well over a year and have just under a further year to progress novel food applications; a total of over 2 years. Furthermore, discussions with yourselves and others in the industry have been ongoing for significantly longer. We consider that this is more than enough time to have planned and started the necessary studies. In fact, several CBD businesses have and are building the applications aiming towards the validated application process deadline date, with some having already submitted initial applications
As such I can confirm there is no change in approach and the deadline as previously set out by the FSA remains.”
“We find the FSA’s position on this to be quite baffling, unsympathetic and unaligned with all government departments at this moment of national and international crisis”
Commenting on the FSA’s assessment of its case, the CTA said: “Many of our members have had to furlough staff and in lockdown, business activities will clearly reduce. Staff in the laboratories and other ancillary industries will also be in lockdown and therefore capacity will be substantially reduced. We find the FSA’s position on this to be quite baffling, unsympathetic and unaligned with all government departments at this moment of national and international crisis. Especially when many in our Industry have pivoted and committed immense resources to fighting this life-threatening Virus.”