Brussels, 22/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the go-ahead from the Fish Products Management Committee, the European Commission adopted a regulation on Monday laying down consumer information measures concerning marine fish and fish farm products that will apply from 1 January 2002. The following information will have to be mentioned on labels or packaging: the commercial name of the species in question; the production method (fished from the sea or fish-farmed); and the geographical area where the fish was caught. All this information has to be provided at all stages of marketing. Member States will also have to set up a system for tracing fish products.
All Member States will have to require operators to mention the commercial name of the species, but whether the scientific (Latin) name has to be given or not is left for national authorities to decide. With regard to information about the area, products caught at sea will have to show the area from a pre-defined list annexed to the new Regulation (North-West Atlantic, North-East Atlantic, Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Antarctic). Products caught in fresh water will have to mention the Member State or third country where the fish was caught. Fish-farmed products will have to mention the Member State or third country where the product undergoes its final development stage.
These new rules amend the Regulation dated 17 December 1999 on the common organisation of the market in fish and fish farm products (OJ L 17 of 17 January 2000, p.22).