EIHA versus BVL: Cannabidiol (CBD) not mandatory to be relisted as novel food

06. March 2020

Brussels/Cologne (ots) –

The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) has successfully challenged the publication of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL)
Products containing CBD do not generally fall under the regulation for novel foods requiring approval (Novel Food)
In the opinion of the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), only CBD isolates and CBD-enriched hemp extracts are obviously “novel”

The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) has achieved a landmark success in the discussion about the generally permissible trade and sale of products containing CBD. Accordingly, the German Federal Government as well as the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) have clearly recognizably endorsed the view of the EIHA: Foodstuffs containing parts of the hemp plant are in principle not “novel” foodstuffs in the sense of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. However, this does not automatically apply to isolated CBD (cannabidiol) or extracts enriched with CBD. “Thus, hemp food products made from traditionally produced extracts with the natural full spectrum of cannabinoids contained in the hemp plant are not novel foodstuffs. For the German hemp food industry, this statement by the government and the ministry is an important milestone,” said Daniel Kruse, president of EIHA.