Brussels, 11/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - Enough prevarication. It is time for the European Commission to legislate and propose to the European Union the obligatory labelling of the origin of meat used as an ingredient in processed foods, whilst avoiding excessive costs and red tape, the European Parliament said in Strasbourg on Wednesday 11 February (see EUROPE 11249 and 11236).
The resolution it adopted by a comfortable majority (460 votes in favour, 204 against and 33 abstentions) urges the Commission to follow up its 2013 report and submit a proposal to make the labelling of the country of origin of processed meat obligatory on the labels of products such as lasagnes, burgers, ham and sausages. This move will aim to guarantee greater transparency throughout the food chain, improve traceability along the supply chain and restore the confidence of consumers shaken by the scandal of horsemeat sold as beef in lasagnes.
Admittedly, the labelling of the country of origin of meat and meat products does not prevent fraud. The Parliament is aware of this, but takes the view that labelling of this kind constitutes a strict system of traceability which will help to detect and tackle any infringements. Additionally, as the Commission itself acknowledges, more than 90% of consumers who were asked are in favour of the move, and this is one of the factors influencing their behaviour, the MEPs stress.
“It is important to enhance transparency and provide clear and complete information to the consumers, but we must nonetheless ensure that this does not lead to additional burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises, of which there are many in this sector”, said Giovanni La Via (EPP, Italy), president of the committee on the environment, health and food safety.
The EPP group voted against the resolution. Not wishing to compromise the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, it is calling for the Commission to continue its impact assessment in order to avoid increasing costs for consumers and producers too much, as well as unnecessary administrative surcharges. “We have to take care that this proposal, which is substantially relevant, does not turn into hot air”, warned Angélique Delahaye (EPP, France). “90% of the citizens consider it important that the origin of meat used as ingredients in food should be labelled. We can only assume that the other 10% is made up of Commission officials”, joked Marc Tarabella (S&D, Belgium), who criticised the Commission for “refusing obligatory labelling on the pretext of colossal extra charges for consumers, whilst the truth is something quite different: a €3.14 shepherd's pie would cost €3.16”. (Aminata Niang)