29.11.2013   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 349/100

—

having regard to Rule 123 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.

whereas EU legislation is increasingly geared towards ensuring the quality of food and, of all fresh dairy products, artisanal gelato is a product of excellence in terms of food quality and safety, raising the profile of agri-food products in each individual Member State,

B.

whereas consumers are increasingly opting for healthy, more nutritious and tastier foods made using traditional methods which do not have an impact on the environment,

C.

whereas the sector directly employs some 300 000, mostly young, workers in around 50 000 ice cream parlours throughout Europe and the consumption of ice cream is gradually becoming less seasonal, resulting in a year-round turnover of hundreds of millions of euros,

1.

Calls on the Member States to support the production of artisanal gelato, a high-quality product, since this is an area in which the EU economy can compete and an opportunity to be seized, given the current crisis in the dairy and other sectors;

2.

Establishes European Artisanal Gelato Day, to be celebrated on 24 March, to help promote this product and build on the sector’s gastronomic traditions;

3.

Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of its signatories (1), to the governments and parliaments of the Member States.