Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - EU - 2015

EU Council Meeting Minutes, 20 April 2015

LABELLING - Indication of the country of origin for certain food products

The following is an extract from the minutes of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting:

The Council was briefed by the Commission on the state of play of two reports dealing with the mandatory indication of the country of origin of milk and dairy products and of certain types of meat, unprocessed food and single ingredients products.

The Commission explained that those reports were delayed but are finally expected to be made available in the coming weeks. Most of the member states welcomed this announcement and pointed out that the reports will provide a useful analysis of the implication of the mandatory indication of the country of origin. In this regard, some member states supported the principle of this indication in particular for milk and dairy products while others considered that the benefit of providing this additional information to the consumer should be balanced with the cost of the measures for the agri-food sectors concerned.

Regulation 1169/2011 on food information to consumers provides that in December last year, the Commission should have submitted to the European Parliament and to Council, two reports regarding the mandatory indication of the country of origin on:

• types of meat other than beef, swine, sheep, goats and poultry, milk and milk used as an ingredient in dairy products;
• unprocessed food, single-ingredient products and ingredients that represent more than 50% of a food.