The European Parliament is not expected to oppose a proposal to re-authorise the use of processed animal protein from non-ruminants for feeding to poultry and pigs, and processed animal protein from insects.
Indeed, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee supported the European Commission’s proposal on this issue on 22 June.
The Greens/EFA and The Left groups, supported by the Social Democrats, had proposed to oppose the return of processed animal proteins, arguing in particular that it was technically difficult to separate the food production lines for different species.
According to these groups, “the control and enforcement of the new measures, particularly with regard to the separation of specialised production lines, collection, storage, transport and packaging facilities, cannot be implemented in a manner consistent with the highest safety standards”. Furthermore, the EU lacks “effective analytical tools to quantify the presence of prohibited processed animal proteins”.
However, their draft resolution was narrowly defeated: 35 votes in favour, 39 against, and 5 abstentions. It is still possible that the dossier will be put to a vote in the plenary session, but this decision will depend on the position of the Social Democrat group, which is divided on this dossier.
By mid-April, the EU Member States had given the green light to the Commission’s proposal by a large majority (see EUROPE 12699/13). The Commission should therefore - unless the Parliament ultimately objects - formally adopt the new regulation before the end of the summer.
The new regulation will allow the use of processed pig protein in poultry feed, poultry protein in pig feed, gelatine and collagen of ruminant origin in non-ruminant livestock feed, and processed insect protein in poultry and pig feed. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)