EU matters debates
CONSUMER PROTECTION:
From left: Petr Baudyš, Director, QSL – Quality, Safety, Legality, Klára Trněná, Legal Adviser, Consumer Protection Association, Jindřich Fialka, Director, Food Production and Legislation Department, Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, Ladislav Miko, Deputy Director General, DG SANCO, European Commission, and Alena Vlačihová, Director, CEBRE
DO WE KNOW WHAT WE EAT?
IN COOPERATION WITH LEADERS MAGAZINE
The food market in the European Union represents an annual turnover of 500 billion euros, which is approximately one tenth of all traded goods. The Irish food inspection revelations of the presence of horse and pig DNA in beef burgers and other similar cases disclosed in many Member States showed the need to ensure a coordinated action at European level. The current regulatory framework is based on the principle of traceability of a product which requires all food businesses to provide a product identification, differentiation, and historical monitoring in all stages of the supply chain. In order to prevent frauds, the EU seeks to implement stronger measures that go beyond the current voluntary system of origin labelling. Consumer protection in the food sector was discussed by large public with experts in the European House in Prague on May 15th 2013. The debate was organised by the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic and European Parliaments’ Information Office in the Czech Republic together with the Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Associations of the CR and CEBRE – Czech Business Representation to the EU.
From left: Petr Baudyš, Director, QSL – Quality, Safety, Legality, Klára Trněná, Legal Adviser, Consumer Protection Association, Jindřich Fialka, Director, Food Production and Legislation Department, Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, Ladislav Miko, Deputy Director General, DG SANCO, European Commission, Alena Vlačihová, Director, CEBRE, and Jan Pátek, Press Officer, European Parliaments’ Information Office
From left: Jindřich Fialka, Director, Food Production and Legislation Department, Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, Ladislav Miko, Deputy Director General, DG SANCO, European Commission, and Alena Vlačihová, Director, CEBRE
129 Petr Baudyš, Director, QSL – Quality, Safety, Legality