Quality is EU’s competitive edge

Tisková zpráva Press Release Communiqué de presse

Prague, 12 March 2009

Quality is EU’s competitive edge

Tradition and quality - the main added values of EU food production - are the main topics of the Quality Policy Conference, starting on Thursday in Prague under the aegis of Agriculture Minister Gandalovic and Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Fischer Boel.

The main themes of the conference include quality, protected geographical indications, standards and food labelling.

Due to cheap imports from third countries, the importance of quality policy in Europe is increasing. “Food safety, clear labelling and high sanitary standards throughout the food processing chain are a sine qua non and the duty of all producers of foodstuffs. There is no place on the Community market for products not meeting these standards. European quality policy offers a superstructure above these standards – it is what creates the added value”,said Czech Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovic.

Systems of labelling and indications are a guarantee of quality. The aim of the conference is to simplify and clarify the system of protected geographical indications as well as certification schemes and marketing standards.

As regards applying for protected indications and designations, the Czech Republic is the most active among the new Member States. As of today, it has 17 geographical indications and designations of origin with 11 more pending. Lately, it has succeeded in registering “Ceské pivo” (Czech beer) as a protected geographical indication. Despite its good experience, the Czech Republic wants the system to be faster, simpler and clearer and to involve less red tape.

“Consumers must get a clear message about what they are buying while producers need to know exactly what criteria the product has to meet,”added Gandalovic.

For example, food information for consumers is expected to be provided for in the Commission proposal for a regulation which, among other things, sets out the minimum 3 mm size typeface for compulsory information. Nutritional labelling, intended to help the consumers make informed decisions about their diet, will also become obligatory. The proposal has not only stirred a lively debate among all stakeholders but has also generated some thousand amendments which the European Parliament will vote on towards the end of March.

The Prague conference will provide material for a Communication on Agriculture Product Quality Policy, to be published by the Commission in May. Quality policy is also one of the Presidency priorities. By publishing the Green Paper, the Commission launched a debate which resulted in about 550 responses. Some of them will be presented by Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

For more information go to the official conference website at www.qpc.cz.

Tereza Dvorácková
Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Agriculture