While business groups are against any mandatory regulations, their tactics have focused on pushing for amendments that would give companies more than two years to comply.

As such, she said, the agency prefers using mandatory regulations as "a court of last resort."

At the other end of the spectrum, mandatory regulations would cost money and would be "likely to encounter considerable industry opposition," the report noted.

Various health organisations are calling for mandatory regulation of the industry.

Words in the ritual which propounded the earlier compromise position were removed, by mandatory regulation.

"As for mandatory regulation, it would depend on the details."

A panel of industry executives and doctors at the forum argued that no new mandatory regulations were needed.

"That also means mandatory regulations and inspections for imports."

Other Member States have made regulation mandatory but only for home producers.

The most important compromise involves putting the 'comply or explain' principle and the mandatory regulations on an equal footing.