While existing legislation already seeks to enhance the competitive edge of EU products by ensuring high safety levels of European foodstuffs, the Commission argued that more can be done to strengthen other quality aspects. A Green Paper adopted on 15 October thus invites interested stakeholders and consumers to evaluate the effectiveness of EU agricultural product quality schemes and the need for further measures.
Increasingly tough international competition and pressure to increase production volume when commodity prices are high are not "excuses to lower standards," the EU executive warns, adding that quality is essentially about meeting consumer expectations. Citizens are not only interested in the non-negotiable requirements of hygiene and food safety, but also pay attention to issues such as the impact of agriculture on sustainability, climate change, and animal welfare, it claims.
"In an increasingly competitive world, European farmers need to play to their major strength – quality," said Mariann Fischer Boel, the EU commissioner for agriculture and rural development. Not only must EU farmers provide products with the qualities in demand, but they must also learn to communicate more effectively, she emphasised.
In addition to baseline production requirements covering such areas as safety and hygiene, product composition and environmental care, the Green Paper also looks at specific EU quality schemes. Here it raises the contentious issue of geographical indications (GIs), which protect the names of food products, wines and spirits dependent on their place of production. The aim of the EU executive is to determine whether additional criteria should be introduced for applications for GI status, as concerns have been expressed that the tool may loose its value if it covers too many products.
Food safety, animal health and the protection of plants rank among the health priorities of the French EU Presidency as areas where the added value of EU action is undeniable, contributing to quality standards (EurActiv 16/07/08). According to Commissioner Fischer Boel, the incoming Czech Presidency is very interested in preparing a conference on the issue in March, while the EU executive intends to publish a communication in May based on the ideas that come out of the consultation.
Legal proposals on the issue are not expected before the next Commission assumes office in late 2009.
