Brussels, 20/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - France, disappointed that the report by the Commission on the origin labelling of meat in ready meals does not contain any legislative proposal (see EUROPE 10986), intends to step up to the plate to secure this proposal. On 18 December, the French government announced that it would mobilise its partners at the forthcoming Agriculture Council, to demand a legislative initiative from the Commission in order to respond to the expectations of consumers and professionals in the meat industry. A demand of this kind is particularly legitimate as 90% of citizens are in favour of this kind of labelling and the environment committee of the European Parliament has already voted on an amendment in favour of it, Paris stresses.
“Contrary to the commitments initially made by the Commission, this report is not accompanied by any legislative proposal which will make it possible to respond to the expectations of consumers and professionals in the meat industry, who have constantly called for the origin of meat in ready meals to be clearly indicated. This demand is a key factor for consumer confidence in their food and, beyond that, with the European Union in its mission to protect Europeans. Indeed, European rules in this matter are obligatory for all member states, and consumers legitimately expect the European Union to take initiatives in line with what they want”, stresses a joint press release issued by the French Agriculture Minister, Stephane Le Foll, and the Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs, Benoît Hamont (our translation).
France laments the fact that the report goes no further than to present three scenarios, to assess the costs of these and to send the debate back before the Council and the European Parliament, and the fact that it lays great emphasis on the supposed costs that would be generated by the measure.
For France, it was established that the cost for implementing the traceability of the origin of fresh beef meat generated an additional cost of less than 5%. However, the report postulates that, for indicating the origin of meat used as an ingredient in ready meals, the extra cost for operators would be between 15 and 50%, the French government stresses.
In addition, the report argues that the labelling of meat would have a negative impact on competitiveness and on trade within the EU, while Stéphane Le Foll and Benoît Hamon believe that quite the reverse would happen: indicating the origin of the meat would be seen as a way of adding value to European products, rather than as an element aiming to destabilise the single market, as a vehicle for greater transparency and would help to secure the European industries. (AN/transl.fl)