1. European Union

1.1 Food Additives

Certain waxes are authorized for use as food additives and are listed in the Directive 95/2/EC, as amended. They also have to fulfill the purity criteria as per the Directive 96/77/EC, as amended. Both directives may be found at the DG SANCO website under Community legislation:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/chemicalsafety/additives/index_en.htm

1.2 Food Contact Materials; Plastics, Regenerated Cellulose Film

Certain waxes are fully harmonized in the EU and authorized for use in food contact materials and articles, and specifically, in regenerated cellulose films and plastics (see also EWF Position Papers). Both directives may be found at the DG SANCO website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/chemicalsafety/foodcontact/index_en.htm
See also under the “Position Papers” menu.

EU and National laws : list of the EU and national legislation related to food contact materials

More information on food contact may be found at the Joint Research Centre at Ispra , Italy , Food Contact Materials Resource Centre, at the address: http://cpf.jrc.it/webpack/

2. Council of Europe

http://www.coe.int

2.1 Food Contact Materials; Paper and Board, Coatings

Held by the Public Health Committee, Committee of Experts on Materials Coming into Contact with Food.

Paper and Board : Resolution AP (2002) 1 on paper and board materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (text and technical documents).
http://www.coe.int/T/E/Social_Cohesion/soc-sp/Public_Health/Food_contact/default.asp#TopOfPage

Coatings: Resolution AP (96)5 on surface coatings intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (text and technical documents).

2.2 European Pharmacopoeia

Held by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM); http://www.pheur.org/index.php3

A description of the background and origin of the European Pharmacopoeia is given in the brochure http://www.pheur.org/medias/download/EDQM_brochure_062003UK.pdf

This material should be consulted for full details. The European Pharmacopoeia is now official in most countries of Europe , so that on any particular substance for which there exists a European Pharmacopoeia monograph, this supersedes (as from an agreed effective date) any previously existing monograph on that substance in a national pharmacopoeia.

As of January 2004 the European Pharmacopoeia includes monographs on white and yellow beeswax, carnauba wax, hard paraffin, white soft paraffin, yellow soft paraffin, light liquid paraffin and liquid paraffin.

3. JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Committee on Food Additives)

The food additives specifications are published by the FAO and may be found at: http://www.fao.org/es/esn/jecfa/database/cover.htm