Brussels, 23/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 22 January, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) called on European regulators to ensure the correct application of the new labelling rules for foodstuffs that the EU has - rules which have been applicable since 11 December (see EUROPE 11216). The MPOC believes that palm oil is subject to discriminatory treatment in some EU member states.
Regulation 1169/2011 on consumer information about foodstuffs (the so-called INCO regulation) is intended to improve consumer information by requiring labels to be clear, legible and understandable, and not misleading consumers. However, the MPOC asserts that “there is ill-intentioned labelling in Europe which is not provided for by this regulation. Some companies, in France and Belgium, use additional labelling bearing the words 'without palm oil'. These labels far from serve the objectives of consumer information. They are purely intended to denigrate the image of palm oil and to misinform consumers”.
The MPOC believes that this practice is discriminatory and runs counter to the provisions of the food information to consumers (FIC) regulation. “After the deadline of 13 December, we expect appropriate measures from regulators in France and Belgium to remove this labelling, thus protecting both consumers and companies in Europe against this practice of unfair labelling”, says the MPOC's director general, Yosof Basiron, in a press release.
The FIC regulation has been in force since 31 December 2011, with application deadlines spread over a period of 3-5 years from 13 December 2011. (AN)