Currentinformationonlabelingadditionaloriginindicationsforspecificfoods

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Jun 16, 2017 - Foods

Currentinformationonlabelingadditionaloriginindicationsforspecificfoods

Additional Origin Indications for Certain Foods

Since April 1, 2015, the indication of origin for pre-packaged meats such as pork, goat, sheep, and poultry (fresh, chilled, or frozen) is mandatory, similar to what has already been introduced for beef. The labels must indicate the countries where the animal or group of animals was reared and slaughtered. 

For determining the country where the rearing of the animal took place, the following criteria are applied: 

• Pork
  • the animal was older than 6 months: indication of the country where the animal was kept for at least the last 4 months 
  • the animal was younger than 6 months and had a weight of over 80 kg: indication of the country where the animal was kept from a live weight of 30 kg    
  • the animal was younger than 6 months and had a weight of under 80 kg: indication of the country where the entire rearing took place 
• Sheep and Goat     
  • the animal was older than 6 months: indication of the country where the animal was kept for at least the last 6 months     
  • the animal was younger than 6 months: indication of the country where the entire rearing took place 
• Poultry 
  • the animal was older than 1 month: indication of the country where the animal was last kept for at least 1 month 
  • the animal was younger than 1 month: indication of the country where the entire rearing took place from fattening 

    
If the rearing periods are not met, the indication of the following applies: 

• Reared in several EU member states     
• Reared in several non-EU countries 
• Reared in several EU and non-EU countries 
• It is also possible to specify the individual countries of rearing (sufficient proof required) 

If the animal was born, reared, and slaughtered in the same country, the labeling "Origin: " can also occur. 

For minced meat, the indication is sufficient: 

• Reared and slaughtered in the EU 
• Reared and slaughtered outside the EU 
• Reared outside the EU, slaughtered in the EU 
• Reared and slaughtered in and outside the EU 
• Origin: EU, if the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered within the EU 

The regulation applies to pre-packaged meat provided to consumers and communal catering. Meat as an ingredient is not affected by this regulation. 

Further mandatory origin labels will only become effective when the corresponding implementing regulations are adopted. The Commission has been tasked with preparing reports on the impacts. The Commission has submitted the reports to Parliament for consultation. 

The reports contain recommendations for the following products: 

• Milk 
• Milk used as an ingredient in dairy products 
• Other types of meat than beef, pork, goat, sheep, and poultry 
• Unprocessed foods 
• Products from one ingredient 
• Ingredients that make up over 50% of a food item. 

The Commission recommends in the stated cases that there should be no further mandatory origin labeling for the six mentioned product groups. This is justified by the significant additional effort, which would impact consumer prices. A decision from Parliament is still pending.