Activities of Åsa WESTLUND related to 2008/0028(COD)
Plenary speeches (2)
Explanations of vote
Food information to consumers (debate)
Amendments (36)
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27 a (new)
Recital 27 a (new)
(27a) In accordance with the resolution of the European Parliament, the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee1, the work of the Commission, and the general public concern about alcohol-related harm especially to young and vulnerable consumers, the Commission together with the Member States should establish a definition for beverages such as ‘alcopops’ specifically targeted at young people. Due to their alcoholic nature, they should have stricter labelling requirements, and be clearly separated from soft drinks in shops. __________________ 1 OJ C 77, 31.3.2009, p. 81.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) However, the Commission should produce a report within five years of the entry into force of this Regulation on whether someany categories of alcoholic beverages should be exempted, in particular, from providing the information on the energy value, and stating the reasons justifying possible exemptions, taking into account the need to ensure coherence with other relevant Union policies. The Commission mayshould also propose, if necessaryappropriate, specific requirements in the context of this Regulation.
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) The indication of the country of origin or of the place of provenance of a food should be provided on a mandatory basis in accordance with Article 9(1)(i) and whenever its absence is likely to mislead consumers as to the true country of origin or place of provenance of that product. In all cases, the indication of country of origin or place of provenance should be provided in a manner which does not deceive the consumer and on the basis of clearly defined criteria which ensure a level playing field for industry and improve consumers’ understanding of the information related to the country of origin or place of provenance of a food. Such criteria should not apply to indications related to the name or address of the food business operator.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) The indication of origin is currently mandatory for beef and beef products15 in the Union following the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis and it has created consumer expectations. The impact assessment of the Commission confirms that the origin of meat appears to be consumers’ prime concern. There are other meats widely consumed in the Union, such as swine, sheep, goats and poultry. It is therefore appropriate to impose a mandatory declaration of origin for those products, and for those products when used in processed foods. The specific origin requirements could differ from one type of meat to another according to the characteristics of the animal species. It is appropriate to provide for the establishment through implementing rules of mandatory requirements that could vary from one type of meat to another taking into account the principle of proportionality and the administrative burden for food business operators and enforcement authorities.
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 6
Article 8 – paragraph 6
6. Food business operators, within the businesses under their control, shall ensure that information relating to non-prepacked food intended for the final consumer or for supply to mass caterers shall be transmitted to the food business operator receiving the food in order to enable, where appropriates made available to the operator handling the food for further sale or further processing in order to enable him or her, when asked, theo provision ofde the final consumer with the mandatory food information to the final consumer.
Amendment 192 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 16 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
By …36 , the Commission shall produce a report concerning the application of Article 18 and Article 29(1) to the products referred to in this paragraph, and addressing whether someany categories of alcoholic beverages should be exempted, in particular, from the requirement to provide the information on the energy value, and the reasons justifying possible exemptions, taking into account the need to ensure coherence with other relevant Union policies. __________________ 36 * OJ: Please insert the date: fivetwo years from the entry into forcedate of application of thise Regulation.
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 3
Article 16 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 3
The Commission mayshall accompany this report by a legislative proposal, if appropriate, determining the rules for a list of ingredients or a mandatory nutrition declaration for those products.
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45 a (new)
Recital 45 a (new)
(45a) It should be possible to use graphical forms or symbols for the presentation of the nutrition declaration under a national scheme for non-binding rules, provided that they do not mislead consumers and that there is evidence that the average consumer is able to understand the form of presentation.
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 18 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. For products containing nanomaterials, this must be clearly indicated, using the word ‘nano’, in the list of ingredients.
Amendment 210 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) With a view to provide consumers with food information that is necessary to make an informed choice, alcoholic mixed beverages should also provide information on their ingredients.
Amendment 214 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – indent 1 (new)
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – indent 1 (new)
– Where there are reasons which would make it impractical to label the country of origin or place of provenance for meat, poultry and fish in processed foods, the following statement may be given instead: ‘of unspecified origin’.
Amendment 216 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) for meat falling within the Combined Nomenclature (‘CN’) codes listed in Annex XI. The application of this point shall be subject to adoption of implementing rules referred to in paragraph 6.all meat and poultry;
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) The indication of the country of origin or of the place of provenance of a food should be provided whenever its absence is likely to mislead consumers as to the true country of origin or place of provenance of that product. In other cases, the provision of the indication of country of origin or place of provenance is left to the appreciation of food business operatorsagricultural raw material (including meat) used in the product should be provided in the most suitable way, with a view to guaranteeing complete transparency and traceability. In all cases, the indication of country of origin or place of provenance should be provided in a manner which does not deceive the consumer and on the basis of clearly defined criteria which ensure a level playing field for the industry and improve consumers' understanding of the information related to the country of origin or place of provenance of a food. Such criteria should not apply to indications related to the name or address of the food business operator.
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 25 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) for meat, poultry and fish when used as an ingredient in processed foods.
Amendment 246 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46 a (new)
Recital 46 a (new)
(46a) It should be possible to use graphical forms or symbols for the presentation of the nutrition declaration under a national scheme for non-binding rules if they do not mislead consumers and there is evidence that the average consumer is able to understand the form of presentation.
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation provides the basis for the assurance ofis intended to ensure a high level of consumer protection in relation to food information, taking into account the differences in the perception of consumers and their information needs whilst ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 256 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point g a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point g a (new)
(ga) 'country of origin' means the place of origin of the main agricultural raw material used in the preparation of the product;
Amendment 264 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The provision of food information shall pursue a high level of protection of consumers’ health and interests by providing a basis for final consumers to make informed choices and to make safe use of food, with particular regard to health, economic, environmental, social and ethical considerations, which is the purpose of this Regulation.
Amendment 272 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) the amounts of fat, artificial transfats, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt.
Amendment 276 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) the amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and transfats.
Amendment 278 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Food information shall be accurate, clear, easy to read and easy to understand for the consumer.
Amendment 286 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 5
Article 8 – paragraph 5
5. Food business operators within the business under their control shall ensure that information relating to non-prepacked food shall be transmitted to the operator receiving the food in order to enable, where appropriate, the provision ofso that the mandatory food information specified in Article 9(1) points (a) to (c) and (f) is made available to the final consumer.
Amendment 289 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 6 – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 6 – introductory part
6. In the following cases, food business operators, within the businesses under their control shall ensure that the mandatory particulars required under Article 9 shall appear on the external packaging in which the food is presented for marketing, or on the commercial documents referring to the foods where it can be guaranteed that such documents either accompany the food to which they refer or were sent before or at the same time as delivery and that the information reaches the final consumer:
Amendment 307 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point i
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point i
(i) the country of origin or place of provenance where failure to indicate this might mislead the consumer to a material degree as to the true country of origin or place of provenance of the food, in particular if the information accompanying the food or the label as a whole would otherwise imply that the food has a different country of origin or place of provenance; in such cases tf unprocessed agricultural products and, for processed products, an indication of the area of cultivation or rearing of the main agricultural raw material used in the processing. The indication shall be in accordance with the rules laid down in Article 35(3) and (4) and those established in accordance with Article 35(5);
Amendment 316 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 34 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) their development is the result of extensive consultation with all stakeholder groups;
Amendment 317 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 34 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) they are supported by independent evidence of understanding of such forms of expression or presentation by the average consumers; and
Amendment 322 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34 – paragraph 5 – footnote 44
Article 34 – paragraph 5 – footnote 44
____________________________ 44 * . OJ: Please insert the date: eightthree years from the entry into forcedate of application of this Regulation.
Amendment 352 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – table – point -1 (new)
Annex III – table – point -1 (new)
-1. FOOD CONTAINING GLUTAMATIC ACIDS OR ITS SALTS Food containing one or ‘contains flavor enhancer’ more of the food additives E620, E621, E622, E623, E624 and E625
Amendment 387 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex VII – Part B – table –point 1 – right-hand-column –first paragraph
Annex VII – Part B – table –point 1 – right-hand-column –first paragraph
‘Oil’, together with - either the adjective ‘vegetableanimal’ (or ‘animal’the indication of their specific animal origin) or, as appropriate, or - an indication of their specific vegetable or animal originigin. In cases where certain vegetable oils cannot be guaranteed not to be present, the use of ‘May contain...’ is required.
Amendment 392 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 393 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 29 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
This paragraph shall not apply to wine as defined in Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, beer, and spirits as defined in Article 2(1) of Regulation (EC) No. […] of […] of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89. The Commission shall produce a report after [five years of the entry into force of this Regulation] concerning the application of this paragraph on these products and may accompany this report by specific measures determining the rules for a mandatory nutrition declaration for these products. Those measures designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, by supplementing it shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 49(3)e mandatory nutrition declaration concerning alcoholic beverages shall also indicate the energy content and the quantity of carbohydrates.
Amendment 400 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. If a food contains industrially produced transfats, this shall always be indicated on the packaging. If the food is not prepacked, this information shall be provided to the final consumer in a different way.
Amendment 425 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 2
Article 31 – paragraph 2
2. The amount of energy and nutrients referred to in paragraph 1 shall be expressed per 100 g or per 100 ml or, subject to Article 32(2) and (3), per portion.
Amendment 438 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 3
Article 31 – paragraph 3
3. The mandatory nutrition declaration shall be expressed, as appropriate, as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in Part B of Annex XI in relation to per 100 g or per 100 ml or per portion. When provided, the declaration on vitamins and minerals shall also be expressed as a percentage of the reference intakes set out in point 1 of Part A of Annex XI.
Amendment 443 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32
Article 32