Written question – Young-child formula – E-001857/2025

Question for written answer  E-001857/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis (S&D)

According to the Commission’s report on young-child formulae from 2016[1], 17 out of 27 Member States classified the product as a dietetic food, and the majority of Member States and of interested stakeholders were in favour of specific measures for young-child formula. Yet the Commission decided against specific measures at the time. Recently, a relevant global standard regulating inter alia young-child formula was published[2].

• 1.Has the Commission gathered any new insights on the matter in recent years, including in the context of its collaboration on the global standard? If so, what insights has it gathered?
• 2.Is the Commission still against introducing specific measures for composition and labelling in relation to nutrient reference value requirements for young-child formula, despite the opinion of Member States and stakeholders? If so, could the Commission explain its reasons?

Submitted: 8.5.2025

• [1] Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on young child formulae, COM(2016)0169, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0169.
• [2] Codex Standard for Follow-Up Formula for Older Infants and Product for Young Children: CXS 156-1987, revised in 2023, which regulates the nutritional composition and labelling, https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXS%2B156-1987%252FCXS_156e.pdf.