Brussels, 12/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - In response to the demand from consumers for more information on the goods they buy, the European Commission will, at the start of December, propose phasing in the requirement to state where agricultural products are made. It will also suggest an “optional reserved term” for “products of mountain farming”.
On 8 December, the European Commission is due to adopt a raft of proposals prepared by the staff of European Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloº to overhaul EU quality policy for agricultural products. Four texts will be brought forward: - a draft regulation clarifying and improving current quality provisions; - a proposal amending the 2007 regulation on single common market organisation (CMO) to deal with the issue of marketing standards; - guidelines detailing best practice for putting in place and operating certification schemes; - guidelines for the labelling of foodstuffs containing ingredients which have protected designations of origin (PDOs) or protected geographical indications (PGIs).
This policy, one of the texts states, will help maintain the diversity of agricultural activity in rural areas and increase competitiveness. Making the quality policy more demanding is one of the “key challenges” identified in the communication on the CAP post-2013, which the Commission intends to present on 17 November (see EUROPE 10231).
Marketing standards: labelling of place of farming. The Commission is proposing to introduce a legal basis for the “compulsory labelling of place of farming for all sectors”. The milk and dairy products sector will be the first to be examined. In the European Union, compulsory labelling of place of farming already exists for pig meat, fruit and vegetables, poultry, wine, honey, olive oil (all since 2009) and EU organic produce (since the start of 2010). Labelling of origin also applies to fish farming products. In non-EU countries, compulsory labelling of country of origin and/or place of production has been introduced in Australia (for all agricultural produce and foodstuffs) and the United States (in some agricultural sectors).
Designations of origin and geographical indications. The Commission is proposing to maintain two separate and distinct systems (the previous commissioner Marian Fischer Boel planned to merge them) for agricultural and foodstuffs, on the one hand, and for the geographical indications for wines, aromatised wines and spirits, on the other (products on which the legislation has recently been reworked).
For the first scheme, the planned provisions seek to: - recognise the role and responsibilities of groups applying for registration of names in terms of monitoring, promotion and communication; - reinforce and clarify the level of protection of registered names and common EU symbols; - shorten the procedure for registering names; - clarify the respective roles of member states and groups applying for registration; - more closely align the definitions of designations of origin and geographical indications with international usage. The scope of the regulation will remain unchanged (agricultural products for human consumption and certain other products), with dark chocolate being added.
Traditional specialities guaranteed. In its communication of late May 2009 (during the Fischer Boel era), the Commission suggested ending the EU system for registering “traditional specialities guaranteed” (TSG), which relates to identifying and protecting the names of traditional products. Under Cioloº, the Commission will recommend that the system of names reserved for traditional specialities across the EU be maintained, but that the option of registering names without reservation be discontinued. To qualify, products will have to meet the criterion for “traditional” which will now be 50 years, rather than 25 years as at present, and the scheme will be “restricted to prepared foods and other processed products having, as essential ingredients, product covered by registered geographical indications”.
Mountain farming. “Optional reserved terms” are used to provide information for consumers on the qualities of products (for example, “first cold pressing” for virgin and extra virgin olive oil). The Commission is proposing including these optional reserved terms in the regulation on quality schemes and bringing in an optional reserved term for “products of mountain farming”.
Direct sales. The Commission will propose that it be left to member states to operate a direct sales marketing scheme for small-scale producers on local markets. A common symbol and scheme identity - “product of my farm” - will be established by the regulation.
The aim of the guidelines for food ingredients is to facilitate the use of registered designations such as PDO or PGI in the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs. The guidelines also seek to ensure that these designations are not used improperly. The guidelines will be voluntary. The aim of the guidelines on certification schemes is to increase the credibility and effectiveness of private voluntary certification schemes and to ensure that they comply with regulatory requirements. (L.C./transl.rt)