10/01/2017 (Agence Europe) – Under the terms of a decree, the labelling of origin for meat and milk in ready-made meals has now been obligatory in France since 1 January in an effort to provide better information to consumers. This will take the shape of an experimental two-year timeframe, as authorised by the European Commission (see EUROPE 11604). This labelling is compulsory as soon as the amount of meat exceeds in a ready-made product is 8% or more or as soon as the milk used in milk products is equal to or above 50% of said milk products. In a press release published at the end of 2016, the French Minister for Agriculture, Agri-food and Forestry, Stéphane Le Foll, explained, “businesses, however, have until 31 March next to sell the products already labelled before the entry into force of the decree, in an effort to avoid any risk of waste”. (AN)