Food labelling
EU member states to take China to court over fake geographical indications
Eight member states of the European Union will take legal action against China over 25 counterfeit trademarks on the Chinese market that mislead consumers on the origin of products protected by the EU's geographical indications.
Athens to seek geographical protection for ‘Greek yoghurt’
The Greek ministry of agriculture will push for a geographical protection for “Greek yogurt” considering the rising consumer demand as well as the recent dispute with Prague.
Greeks fear they will lose their ‘white gold’ with CETA
Farmers in Greece are concerned about the fate of feta cheese in EU trade agreements with third countries after the EU failed to fully protect the iconic product in the CETA free trade deal with Canada. EURACTIV Greece reports.
Juncker pledges to end ‘unacceptable’ food discrimination
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday (27 July) promised Slovakia and other Eastern European member states he would help stamp out the "totally unacceptable" sale of lower quality food products in their markets.
Quality food secures Spain’s place in globalised market
Spain is an agricultural powerhouse: agri-food products account for 20% of the country’s exports. And if there is one thing keeping Spanish farmers competitive in the age of globalisation it is the quality of their products. EURACTV’s partner EFEAgro reports.
Who is driving quality in EU agri-food?
The EU’s Southern member states are the leading producers of foods certified by EU quality schemes: between them, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Greece account for 70% of the total.
Portugal’s ‘vinho verde’ producers seek EU protection for demarcated regions
The ‘vinhos verdes’ (green wines) of northwestern Portugal have no direct international competitors, but their producers nevertheless want the European Union to safeguard the regional demarcations in its trade accords with foreign markets, local officials said. EURACTIV’s partner Lusa reports.
Quality schemes help EU producers break new markets
The promotion of geographical indications (GI) has helped EU products attract new emerging markets which seek quality food. However, Europol warns that fake GI products are on the rise across the EU and policymakers should not disregard the protection of intellectual rights.
Italy demands origin labels for pasta and rice
All packets of pasta and rice sold in Italy will have to include labels of origin showing where the produce was grown, the government ruled on Thursday (20 July), in a move it said was aimed at protecting local farmers.
Looming CETA application undermines Macron’s campaign promise
The provisional entry into force of the EU’s free trade agreement with Canada on 21 September leaves little time for the evaluation committee established by France’s new president to deliver its verdict on the deal. EURACTIV France reports.
European agri-food: How Spain and the EU ensure quality
The European Union has put in place strict rules that govern food quality. The prestige this has created around the world has made the bloc competitive at the highest level. EURACTIV’s partner EFEAgro reports.
Nestlé boss: Simplified food labels will better inform consumers
Simplified food label schemes like the UK-style traffic light will provide EU consumers clear and simple elements and therefore, better inform them, Marco Settembri told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Industry asks the Commission to harmonise sports food rules
Four sports foods trade associations launched a joint initiative on Monday (26 June) calling on the European Commission to amend EU food legislation and come up with harmonised rules to regulate their products and ensure their proper use and equal treatment in all member states.
Soft drink makers back product reformulation as ‘healthier’ than taxation
Governments can steer consumers towards healthier choices by supporting the reformulation of food ingredients, rather than imposing "discriminatory" taxes, according to the soft drinks industry.
‘Traffic light’ food labels gain momentum across Europe
A UK scheme that labels pre-packed food in red, amber or green according to their level of healthiness was rejected by Mediterranean countries at EU level but is slowly gaining momentum across Europe.
Hard cheese for soya and tofu as EU court bans dairy names for plant-based products
Plant-based products like soya and tofu can no longer be sold with dairy-type names like milk or butter, the European Union's top court ruled Wednesday (14 June).
Consumer group wants to kill cartoons on ‘unhealthy’ food for children
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) urged food companies on Wednesday (14 June) to stop using cartoon characters to promote unhealthy foods for children, saying they negatively affect their dietary behaviour.
As Italy seeks pasta labels, Canada worries about durum sales
Italy has this week formally asked the European Commission to allow it to require country of origin labels on pasta sold there, raising alarms for Canadian durum wheat exporters who fear the move will dampen sales.
Italy introduces new labelling law for dairy products
Starting on Wednesday, Italian dairy product labels will have to show the origin of their ingredients. Italy’s agriculture minister hopes the experiment will be copied by other EU countries. EURACTIV’s partner Italia Oggi reports.
French winemakers launch campaign against ‘unfair’ Spanish competition
Winemakers in the Montpellier region in southern France have launched a media campaign to alert consumers to “unfair competition” from their Spanish counterparts, passing off their wine as French. EURACTIV Spain reports.
Spanish oil, wine, meat and horticultural products: Four success stories
Spain's agricultural sector has used exports as a way to escape from financial crisis and it has emerged as a real engine of the economy since 2008. Growth continues unabated and numerous records have been broken. EURACTIV's partner EFEAgro reports.
Farmers target growth through direct sales and short supply chains
Farmers in France are seeking growth through direct sales, short supply chains and local agriculture, targeting a burgeoning market in local produce. Euractiv France reports.
UK promises scrapping ‘three-crops’ farm rule post-Brexit
The UK’s new agriculture minister has promised a major scrapping of EU farming regulation - including key green measures - after it leaves the bloc.
Diabetes expert: Urgent need for education ‘at every level’
There is a great need to raise awareness and enhance education on diabetes and a healthier lifestyle “at every level”, Stella de Sabata, head of the International Diabetes Federation, told EURACTIV.com.