Following discussions at the Agrifish Council meetings in January and May, a coalition of organisations representing the food manufacturing, retail, trade and hospitality sectors, including Eucolait, have prepared a joint statement expressing concerns about proposals jointly submitted by several Member States to extend mandatory country-of-origin labelling to additional food categories.
For the dairy sector, mandatory origin labelling does not reflect the reality of integrated EU supply chains, where milk and dairy ingredients are frequently sourced and processed across several Member States. Additional requirements would create significant operational difficulties and increase administrative burdens, while undermining the smooth functioning of the Single Market and the Commission’s simplification efforts. The debate takes place in the context of the revision of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation, as part of the CAP reform. The CMO regulation includes marketing standards, such as those for butter and spreadable fats, which may also include (origin) labelling requirements. The statement will be finalised and sent to the European Commission by the end of the month.