French Consumers Minister Hamon to EuroFora: Transparency key for Meal Safety beyond EU Imports

 

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Transparency is of key importance in order to solve Food Safety problems, as those of the recent Scandal on Horsemeat which affected Millions of EU Consumers, and this implies, f.ex. to impose the obligation to Mark the Origins of a Food product even if it has been transformed into a prepared meal in an EU Country, contrary to what was the situation in this regard until now, observed in substance the new French French Minister for Social Economy and Consumption, Benoit Hamon, in reply to a question by "EuroFora", which raised also the issue of Imports from Third Countries, located outside of the EU :

       - "It's a European problem", stressed Minister Hamon in reply to "EuroFora"s question, which already affected more than 4 Millions 500 Thousand EU Consumers in the current case of Horsemeat disguised and paid as Beef, as he denounced earlier.

 

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- "Obviously, the recent problem, as you said, concerns what happens inside EU's area, even if its origins are located around its external borders" (i.e. mainly towards the Black Sea region, f.ex. reportedly towards Lithuania, Poland and Romania, etc), "EuroFora" observed, referring to earlier Hamon's statements.

-  "But, quid about the (EU) Consumers' protection concerning Food products imported from Foreign (Non-EU) Countries. Should we (EU) reinforce the system of the overall protection also in this regard ?", we asked the competent French Minister.

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- "I think that, it's Obligatory to Mark the Origins (of Food Products) whenever they come from any Third Country located outside of the EU" , Hamon from the outset in reply.

- But, "inside EU Countries, (this obligation)  disappears,  when that (food product : here = meat) is even slightly Transformed", he critically observed :

 - F.ex., "if you buy at a Butcher's shop a fresh piece of Beef, you can know the Origins of that fresh meat".

 - "But, it's enough to just cook a bit that product, f.ex. merely by boiling it with a bit of olive oil, and some seeds, etc., so that when it becomes transformed, then, there is No more any Obligation to Mark the Origins of that meat !", he denounced.

=> - "This is precisely what we want to Change, so that, Tomorrow, for all Prepared Meals, including with Beef, but not only for beef, the Origins of that meat will be Marked", the competent French Minister anounced in reply to "EuroFora"s question.
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    Naturally, this goes even more when the origin of a Food product might come mainly from Foreign, Non-European Countries, even if, at least "at this Stage", in the present case,  "we (EU) didn't find yet any Non-EU actor, ..until Today", as Hamon observed, concerning those prepared meals.

    - However, a relative Uncertainty seems to exist on this point, for the moment, since, - "Now, concerning what comes from areas Outside of the EU, I don't remember exactly what's the situation about EU's (Food) Supplies, in prepared meals, and whether it's very Important" or less, the Consumers' Minister honestly replied, after vainly trying to interrogate the 2 experts who accompagnied him.

    - "But, at any case, we consider that Efforts should be made on Meals with meat Prepared (i.e. treated) inside the EU", Hamon stressed, as a matter of general principle.

    - Thus, at least for the time being, "at any case, this Crisis didn't highlight yet  the problems of Supplies with unmarked meat originating out of the EU", he carefuly reserved his final and exhaustive answer for after a more thorough examination of all the relevant Facts, later on.

    - "But, (as it stands now), it's rather a problem of Economic Fraud inside the EU", he observed.
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     + In general, when there are too many Intermediaries between Production and Consumption, it's difficult to be Transparent. So, it's preferable to have Short Networks, instead of Long and complex ones, and that's why the Big Agro-Food Businesses in France have just committed themselves to use "VBF", i.e. beef meat produced in France, with a special Add informing consumers, Hamon also added.

     - "And there, it's much more Difficult to commit Fraud", he estimated.
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    The French Minister's Press Conference this afternoon followed an earlier, short but urgent Debate at EU Parliament on such Problems in the Food Supply Chain, seen in the context of the recent Horsemeat issue,  with the competent, Health and Consumers' EU Commissioner Tonio Borg, in the Morning, who is also due to speak at a Conference organized by EU's Economic and Social Committee later this same week in Brussels.

    Topically, this key issue of Food Safety move is raised at the eve of an important EU Parliament's plenary public Debate and Vote on the Future of EU's Common Agriculture policy, Tomorrow in Strasbourg, which will give a Mandate for imminent Negotiations between MEPs and Governments at EU Council on a Strategic crossroads affecting Europe's Economy, Society, Health, Security and Independence, as well as relations of trust with EU Citizens.