Commission says simpler system of labelling is needed to help EU producers compete on quality.
The European Commission has launched a plan aimed at helping farmers sell their food and drinks using labels that identify where a product was farmed.
In a policy paper published today, the Commission also raised the prospect that some produce could bear the label ‘traditional product' or ‘product of mountain farming'.
Mariann Fischer Boel, the European commissioner for agriculture, said “we have to realise that in Europe that we cannot compete on bulk production...We need to compete on quality.”
“Our job is to ensure that information about standards get through to consumers and buyers,” she continued.
Fischer Boel said that there is “a huge demand for simplification” of the current labelling system on the part of farmers and for labels to be more informative for consumers.
The work could lead to the abolition of the ‘traditional specialities guaranteed' (TSG) label, which was created in 1992 with the aim of drawing attention to foods that are produced in traditional ways. But Fischer Boel acknowledged that there has been little interest in this scheme. Only 20 products, including Belgian beers and British ‘traditional' turkey, use the blue and gold-starred TSG label. It could be replaced with more specific labels, such as ‘product of mountain farming' or ‘traditional product'. The Commission wants to boost agriculture in mountainous regions, where tilling the land is more arduous because the soil is poorer and the climate harsher.
The Commission does, however, want to keep the EU's popular ‘geographical indicator' labels that aim to show consumers products are prepared in a region with traditional know-how. Around 3,000 wines, spirits and foods bear geographical labels.
But an idea for an ‘EU requirements' label to show that products (both EU and imported) are farmed in line with EU rules appears unlikely to see the light of day. Farmers and retailers overwhelmingly opposed the plan during consultations with the Commission.
The Commission must also study whether the EU's eco-label can be extended to food and feed. The flower-shaped logo with a euro in the middle can currently be seen on 3,000 products, such as detergents and paper. Earlier this year the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament agreed the logo would be applied to food and animal feed. They charged the Commission with investigating whether this is feasible.
Farming groups are concerned about creating confusion with the ‘organic' labels.
Following today's policy paper, the Commission will make formal legal proposals next year.
SOURCE
The European Commission has launched a plan aimed at helping farmers sell their food and drinks using labels that identify where a product was farmed.
In a policy paper published today, the Commission also raised the prospect that some produce could bear the label ‘traditional product' or ‘product of mountain farming'.
Mariann Fischer Boel, the European commissioner for agriculture, said “we have to realise that in Europe that we cannot compete on bulk production...We need to compete on quality.”
“Our job is to ensure that information about standards get through to consumers and buyers,” she continued.
Fischer Boel said that there is “a huge demand for simplification” of the current labelling system on the part of farmers and for labels to be more informative for consumers.
The work could lead to the abolition of the ‘traditional specialities guaranteed' (TSG) label, which was created in 1992 with the aim of drawing attention to foods that are produced in traditional ways. But Fischer Boel acknowledged that there has been little interest in this scheme. Only 20 products, including Belgian beers and British ‘traditional' turkey, use the blue and gold-starred TSG label. It could be replaced with more specific labels, such as ‘product of mountain farming' or ‘traditional product'. The Commission wants to boost agriculture in mountainous regions, where tilling the land is more arduous because the soil is poorer and the climate harsher.
The Commission does, however, want to keep the EU's popular ‘geographical indicator' labels that aim to show consumers products are prepared in a region with traditional know-how. Around 3,000 wines, spirits and foods bear geographical labels.
But an idea for an ‘EU requirements' label to show that products (both EU and imported) are farmed in line with EU rules appears unlikely to see the light of day. Farmers and retailers overwhelmingly opposed the plan during consultations with the Commission.
The Commission must also study whether the EU's eco-label can be extended to food and feed. The flower-shaped logo with a euro in the middle can currently be seen on 3,000 products, such as detergents and paper. Earlier this year the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament agreed the logo would be applied to food and animal feed. They charged the Commission with investigating whether this is feasible.
Farming groups are concerned about creating confusion with the ‘organic' labels.
Following today's policy paper, the Commission will make formal legal proposals next year.
SOURCE
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