COT meetings
COT members meet regularly as the main advisory body. Members with the required expertise may also join subgroups to focus on specific areas of work.
Current and future COT discussion items
Below are ongoing items, currently being evaluated by the COT or possible topics for further discussion at a future meeting, along with an estimated timescale for completion.
| Discussion Item | Time scale |
|---|---|
| Fluoride | 18 months + |
| Follow up on EFSA dioxins opinion | 12 months + |
| Alternatives to plastic packaging | 12 months + |
| Maternal diets | 18 months + |
| PFAS | 18 months + |
Note: time scales are provisional and subject to change. Additional items may be introduced at short notice, requiring less urgent items to move to a later meeting
If you would like to submit information on any of these items, please contact the Secretariat at COT@food.gov.uk.
Procedure for holding COT meetings in open session
If you would like to attend a COT meeting as an observer please contact the secretariat for further information and an application form. The closing date for completed application forms to be received, is one week before the relevant meeting.
Introduction to open meetings
The purpose of committee meetings being held in open session is to increase the visibility and transparency of the committee’s work and to enable interested parties to hear the committee’s discussions. The meetings are not intended to provide a forum for independent observers or pressure groups to present their views on a subject to the committee.
If an interested party wishes to submit information relevant to a topic for consideration by the committee, they are welcome to do so but it should be submitted in writing to the secretariat at least seven working days before the meeting. The Secretariat will discuss with the Chairman the most appropriate way to present the information to the committee and the Chairman’s decision will be final.
Information concerning the dates of forthcoming COT meetings and topics are available at the relevant section of the website. COT meetings are held as Hybrid meetings. Information concerning COC and COM meetings can be obtained through the relevant sections of the COC and COM internet sites. Most meetings are held at UKHSA premises with the option of joining remotely.
Applications to attend a meeting as an observer
Those wishing to observe can apply to attend either any forthcoming meeting or for a specific subject. If you are interested in a specific subject, the Secretariat will tell you when we expect it to be discussed and will contact you as soon as the agenda is confirmed.
To attend a meeting as an observer, you must complete COT Meetings Application Form. The application form asks whether you represent any group (eg. manufacturers, trade associations, interest groups with specific concerns on public health or the environment). This information will be provided to committee members and recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
We will accept enquiries by email. The closing date for completed application forms to be received is one week before the relevant meeting, to allow time to confirm proof of identity.
Observers will receive a link to the meeting, but will not be able to attend any reserved sessions.
Contribution from observers
Observers should not attempt to participate in the Committee’s discussion. Observers who have submitted information to the Committee in advance of the meeting may be invited to provide further explanation or to make brief comments at the discretion of the Chairman. For further information, please refer to the Code of Conduct for observers.
Media enquiries
Representatives of the media should contact the relevant Press Office for the Food Standards Agency or Department of Health as appropriate.
Reserved business and unpublished data
Some information may not be in the public domain at the time of discussion. Whenever possible discussions will take place in open session but sometimes part or all of an item may need to be discussed in closed session as reserved business and observers will be requested to leave the meeting. Such items will generally be discussed at the beginning or end of the agenda.
Publication of agendas, papers, statements and minutes
The agenda will be published on our website about two weeks before the meeting and any items of reserved business will be identified. Papers will be published on the web, with the exception of annexes containing certain types of unpublished data. A record of key points made by observers will be included in the minutes and the final decision on the wording of the minutes will be made by the Committee.
The draft minutes will be published on our website about two weeks after the meeting. The draft minutes or statements (as Working Papers) of reserved business may need to be temporarily withheld in accordance with the Code of Practice on Openness, which is published in the COT/COC/COM Annual Report. The final version of minutes and statements will be published when agreed by the Committees.
Meeting dates for the current year
- Tuesday 3rd of February 2026.
- Tuesday 31st March 2026.
- Tuesday 19th May 2026.
- Tuesday 14th July 2026.
- Tuesday 8th September 2026.
- Tuesday 20th October 2026.
- Tuesday 8th December 2026.