Scientific Papers Series B Horticulture

Stakeholder comments concerned notably theintroduction of the Ecolabel and its potentialoverlap with the existing organic scheme.AIMS REGARDING THE PROMOTIONOF AGRO-FOOD PRODUCTS’ QUALITYE.U. farming requirementsThe Green Paper asked how farmers can bestshow that they have complied with basic EUrequirements, such as environmental rules,animal welfare standards, and strict controls onuse of pesticides and animal health products.Two possibilities were raised: an ‘EUrequirements’ label or logo, or obligatory placeof-farminglabelling. An ‘E.U. requirements’label would be shown on all products (EU orimported) that had been farmed in line with EUminimum requirements. In the Green Paperresponses, the overwhelming view fromconsumers, farmers, processors and retailersand others, was opposed to such a label. On theother hand, many respondents supportedgreater use of place-of-farming labelling asgiving useful basic information aboutagricultural products.Marketing standardsMarketing standards and product directivescontain technical descriptions of agriculturalproducts, their composition, characteristics andthe production methods used. Fisheriesproducts are also covered by a specificmarketing regime. They have been adopted notonly by the EU, but also by multilateral bodies(Food Quality Schemes). There are four typesof information contained in marketingstandards (Table 1).Table 1. Types of marketing standard (http://ec.eurlex.europa.eu/.).RESERVED TERMSPRODUCTCLASSIFICATIONExamples: „free range, eggs:„barn” egs, „first cold pressed”,extra virgin and virgin olive oil,„traditional method”, sparklingwineExamples: friut: extra, class 1,class 2Eggs: large, medium, smallExamples: definition of butter,fruit juice, chocolate, wine,PRODUCT IDENTITYextra virgin olive oilORIGIN OR PLACEOF FARMINGLABELLINGExamples:fruit and vegetables:place of harvestOlive oil: place of harvest andof presiing406In their responses to the Green Paper, farmersand producers, processors, traders and retailerssupported marketing standards, saying they areneeded for sellers to demonstrate the quality ofproduct they offer, and for purchasers to knowwhat they are buying. However, there were alsocalls for simplification. EU marketingstandards were criticised for being too detailed,too prescriptive — relying on compulsory ruleswhen voluntary rules would suffice — and forbeing too cumbersome to adapt quickly tochanging market circumstances.Many respondents to the Green Paper alsowanted „optional reserved terms” to bedeveloped, for example to define what can becalled „mountain product” and „low carbon”.„Optional” reserved terms do not have to beused to describe product in commerce or onlabels, but if they are used, the product mustcorrespond to the definition laid down.In addition, consumers and farmers called forgreater use of „place of farming” labelling(Table 2).The Commission intends to address thefollowing aspects of marketing standards:– need for general basic standard:Compulsory rules could be laid out in a generalbasic marketing standard. This would coverthose matters where a voluntary approachmight distort the single market or compulsorylabelling is necessary to provide consumerswith basic information about products.– place-of-farming labelling:To respond to many consumers’ and farmers’preferences for labelling that identifies theplace where agricultural product was farmed,the Commission will consider appropriatelabelling within marketing standards foragricultural products, while taking into accountthe specificities of some sectors, in particularconcerning processed agricultural products.Table 2. Demand for place of farming labelling(http://ec.eur-lex.europa.eu/.). Placeof farminglabelling Obligatory country of origin labellingand/or place of farming labelling has beenintroduced in Australia (all agriculturalproducts and foodstuffs) and the US(selected agricultural product sectors),among other countries. In the EU,obligatory place of farming labellingapplies to beef and veal, fruit andvegetables, eggs, poultry meat, wine,