Brussels, 29/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - There are no further obstacles to France trying out the labelling of the origin of meat and dairy ingredients in ready meals - a measure that does not exist in EU law, but which has already been given the go-ahead by the European Commission (see EUROPE 11587).
The French Conseil d'Etat delivered a favourable view of the planned new law to this effect that could come into force on 1 January 2017 for a two-year period, announced the French authorities on 27 July in a joint press release from the French agriculture and agrifood minister, Stéphane Le Foll, and the French secretary of state for trade, craftsmanship and consumption, Martine Pinville.
Both welcomed the decision that will allow citizens to benefit from better information, and will allow milk and meat producers to see the quality of their products fully recognised, and for processing companies to value the ingredients of processed food.
The press release notes that a consultation meeting was held on 27 July with representatives of the industries involved and consumer organisations in order to work on the detail of how the law will apply, particularly the percentages of meat or milk in a product beyond which compulsory labelling shall apply. At EU level, consumers and the European Parliament have been calling for such compulsory labelling, but without success until now. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)