Food Supplements Europe has been created in 2013 to represent the interests of the European food supplement sector. Its membership includes national associations and companies committed to ensuring that future EU legislation and policy reflects the important role that this sector plays in the health of consumers. As Director Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Patrick Coppens is heading Food Supplement’s Europe work in the area of food law, in particularly focussing on botanicals, REFIT and relationship with EFSA. He is also in charge of the organisation’s scientific work in the field of public health.

Previously he has held various positions within the Dutch Royal Numico group in the area of scientific and regulatory affairs and quality assurance. He has been closely involved in debates on food safety, food labelling, health claims and addition of nutrients to foods both on national and international level. He also has worked as advisor to a number of trade bodies, including as Secretary-General of the European Responsible Nutrition Alliance, the European Botanical Forum. In January 2005 he joined EAS Strategies, the Brussels-based advisors specialising in regulatory and strategic advice on nutritional products, where he currently is the Regional Director for Europe, Middle-East & Africa. Patrick is chair of the Belgian Food Law expert group and is a regular speaker at international conferences on various topics in the area of food law and nutrition.