Food Law News - EU - 2013


Council Background Note, 10 July 2013

MEAT - Mislabelling of beef products: Background information for Council discussions

The following is an extract from the Background Notes prepared in advance of the Agriculture Council meeting on the 15 July 2013.  A supporting document from the Commission is also available.  See: Commission Information Note

At the request of the Presidency, the Commission will give an updated overview of the current situation regarding food products containing horsemeat mislabelled as beef (12125/13).

Following the discovery in January in Ireland of the presence of horse traces in beef burgers, several other member states subsequently found horse meat in a range of processed beef products. A widespread fraud and mislabelling of certain processed meat products was suspected at this time.

Following an informal ministerial meeting in February this year, tests were performed in the member states to assess the extent of the use of horse meat in beef products, on the basis of a Commission recommendation establishing the conditions under which the tests should be performed.


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