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What are the ingredients? Where does the product come from? Does it contain lots of salt sugar or fat? These and similar questions are asked by consumers day in day out when they do their food shopping at the supermarket. A new ordinance shall now introduce new EU-wide food labelling regulations. A vote on an opinion on this draft proposal in the European Parliament, however, revealed a shocking result: two amendments of Othmar Karas of the European People’s Party prevailed; they intend to delete the option of providing for national provisions on food without replacement. These were included in the original draft text, for example for the protection of public health or within the scope of consumer protection for the Member States.

Although the vote on food labelling in the leading Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in the European Parliament has not yet taken place, the outcome of the vote on the statement in the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, however, shows how strong the economic wing in the European Parliament really is. Large parts of the European People’s Party, the European Conservatives and parts of the European Liberals regard it obviously as more important to make life as easy as possible for food companies, whilst consumers are paying the price.

Should the opinion of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection prevail in its first reading in the European Parliament, national provisions on food labelling for reasons of protecting public health, of consumer protection and of combating fraud would not be allowed. Not even non-binding national guidelines would be possible. This is also the reason why the European Social Democrats as well as the Greens and the Left have voted against the statement. Given the fact that the parties with close industrial ties have a majority of 60 percent in the European Parliament, the statement was nevertheless adopted with 21 votes in favour and 15 votes against. Unfortunately, the so-called traffic light regulations, which show whether a product contains a lot of or little salt, fat or sugar was also rejected.

However, labels will show the origin of non-processed meat, fish and seafood as well as specify the weight in 100g or 100ml. In addition, it is also intended to provide all required details per portion, which leaves a wide scope for interpretation as to what the size of “a portion” is. According to the statement of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, all food packages must also show the energy value (calories) and the quantities of protein, carbohydrates, fat, saturated fatty acids, dietary fibres, sugar and salt.

One can only hope that the opinion of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection in the Committee of Environment resp. in the plenum of the European Parliament will not prevail. The opinion of the Council, which, according to latest information has come out in favour of national provisions for food labelling, also carries a lot of weight. The ordinance can only come into force when Council and European Parliament agree.


Further information:

AK position paper on food information to consumers

Film of the non-governmental organisation ‘foodwatch’ on the introduction of traffic light labelling