Brussels, 29/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The members of the European Parliament committee on the environment and food safety want the EU to be uncompromising towards those responsible for food fraud, such as those who brought about the “Horsegate” scandal when horsemeat was sold as beef early this year. They want consumers to know exactly what is on their plates. At their meeting on 27 November, they also called for more inspections and transparency, and for penalties that will deter fraudsters. They invited the European Commission to present legislative proposals as soon as possible in order to make it compulsory to show, on the labels, the origin of meat used for ready-made dishes. In so doing, they unanimously upheld the recommendations made by Esther de Lange (EPP, Netherlands), who drafted an own-initiative report, to be used as a roadmap by the European Commission and member states.
MEPs call for controls to be extended to all aspects affecting public health. They do not wish them to be confined to aspects relating to food fraud, and want them to be cross-border controls. “We cannot use 28 national control institutions who do not cooperate. Trade is already taking place at European level, so we also have to work together on inspections at EU level”, de Lange points out.
The rapporteur welcomes the fact that the European Commission has already established a unit especially dedicated to fighting food fraud. “A good start. Hopefully we will continue down this path, also nationally, and win the battle against the fraudsters who are risking our health. Our food is safer than ever before, however we have to remain alert”, de Lange says. MEPs recommend strengthening the technical and financial means of the national control authorities, to move on to spot checks. They have rejected, however, the amendment underlining the adverse influence of social dumping practices in a number of EU slaughterhouses on the profitability of the sector as a whole, and the honesty of certain stakeholders. “That is my only regret”, says Sophie Auconie (EPP, France).
BEUC welcomes vote. The European Consumers Bureau (BEUC) welcomes the very tough stance taken by MEPs as a step in the right direction and trusts that the recommendations contained therein will be duly taken into account in the context of discussions on official controls in the EU.
“Today's vote sends a clear message that crime must not pay. The European Union needs to rebuild consumer confidence in the food chain and this vote is a first step in doing so. It is evident that there are those who are willing to take risks in order to make a profit at the consumers' expense. Indeed cases of fraud seem to affect more and more foods such as honey, meat, fish, etc. The recent horsemeat scandal was the straw that broke the camel's back”, comments Ruth Veal, Head of the Food, Health, Environment and Safety Department at BEUC. (AN/transl.jl)