Brussels, 22/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 22 March, the European Parliament Fisheries Committee called for greater fishing product traceability, including products used in the catering sector.
Following an oral question posed during the plenary session, a resolution was voted on during the fisheries committee. MEPs are concerned that after several studies, it appears that fishing products sold on Union markets, including those used in restaurants in Brussels, are often incorrectly labelled.
After the vote on the resolution on fishing product traceability and aquaculture, Alain Cadec (EPP, France, the President of the EP Fisheries Committee) stated: “European consumers are quite rightly calling for accurate fishing and aquaculture product labelling. Many different labels have been observed competing with one another and they are not sufficient enough to provide genuine information to consumers regarding the sustainability, quality and traceability of products put on the market. Only a single European public label can guarantee respect for high environmental, social and health standards”. He also pointed out that he was fighting to create a single European label for fishing products.
The resolution stresses that a sound European label policy in the fisheries sector would be a key factor in boosting the economic development of coastal communities, recognizing the best practices of fishermen and underlying the quality of their products supplied to consumers.
MEPs consider that an EU-wide eco-label for fisheries and aquaculture products, whose criteria should be further discussed at EU level, could help to strengthen traceability and transparent information to consumers. They also believe that the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) may help fund such a label.
The Fisheries Committee also wants an independent body to be able to certify voluntary claims regarding fishery products (voluntary information about labels). Alain Cadec concluded that “This will help consumers make informed choices when they purchase their products”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)