Luxembourg, 13/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Member States may not impose a single language for labelling foodstuff, says the Court of Justice in a ruling it passed down this week regarding the labelling in English of bottles of Coca-Cola, Merry Down cider and Red Raw ginger ale, sold in a hypermarket of the group Casino in France.
Called upon by the Court of Appeal of Lyon to rule on the compatibility of French legislation (that imposes the exclusive use of French on labels) with Community law on the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, the Court confirmed its previous case law. In cases concerning the labelling of bottled water in the Flemish region of Belgium (Piageme ruling), the Court had considered that national legislation could not impose the exclusive use of one language.
In this new case, the Court confirms in the same words that European legislation on labelling "precludes a national law requiring the exclusive use of a specific language for the labelling of foodstuffs, without allowing for the possibility for another language, easily understood by purchasers, to be used, or for them to be informed by other means". The Court does, however, stipulate a provision which provides for the use of a specific language for labelling but permits the use of another language easily understood by purchases complies with Community law.
It is up to national courts to implement these principles to specific cases.