Brussels, 06/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - On 1 January 2003, new Community provisions took effect within the Union concerning the labelling of meat-based products (sausages, pâté, cooked meats, prepared dishes and canned meat), under the Commission directive that amends the legislation relating to the labelling and presentation of foodstuffs (Directive 2000/13/EC).
As this new legislation harmonises and specifies the definition of the word "meat", by limiting it to muscle-meat, it will allow consumers to know, through adequate labelling provisions, whether they are consuming muscle-meat, fat or offal, and to distinguish the kind of meat (e.g. beef or pig meat).
Furthermore, because it totally rules out meat that is separated from the bone mechanically, the directive prevents against the risk of contamination of meat-based products by BSE.
In order to give the sector time to meet these new requirements, a transitional period is foreseen until June 2003, so that the former kind of labelling and the new kind will exist together during six months on the market.
David Byrne, Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner, states in a press release: "My priority is to allow consumers to make an informed choice. Transparent and precise labelling is essential to giving consumers information on what they are eating. ….. This information is very important for consumers in helping them to better understand the price differences between products and to make choices based on personal preferences".