51999AC1136

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97, establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products"

(2000/C 51/21)

On 12 November 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 152 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mr David Evans as rapporteur-general with the task of preparing the Committee's work on the subject.

At its 368th plenary session (meeting of 9 December 1999), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 40 votes to one with four abstentions.

1. General remarks

Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97, establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products, lays down that a compulsory beef labelling system shall be introduced from 1 January 2000 onwards. The new proposal by the Commission provides for a delay of the introduction of the compulsory beef labelling rules beyond the start of next year - deferring limited labelling rules not later than 1 January 2001 and full rules until the start of 2003. There are two practical reasons for this postponement: Firstly, the European Court of Justice will shortly rule on the legal base of Regulation (EC) No 820/97 as the Commission and the European Parliament consider Article 152 of the amended Treaty and not the former Article 43 as being the correct base (co-decision rather than consultation). Secondly, the full databases which are central to the labelling requirements are not in place in all Member States and systems compatible with the rules are not likely to be functioning properly in some Member States in the near future. Consequently, the procedures for the adoption of that regulation will not be completed before 1 January 2000.

The object of this present proposal is, therefore simply to extend the existing voluntary labelling system, up to a maximum of one year, until compulsory rules enter into force. This will avoid a legal vacuum which would otherwise be created, and which would cause confusion for suppliers and consumers alike.

2. Special remarks

The Committee considers the compulsory beef labelling as a very important instrument to maintain and strengthen consumer confidence in the beef sector. In that sense, it very much regrets the postponement. For the practical reasons mentioned above, however, it supports the proposal to delay the introduction of the compulsory beef labelling rules and urges the decision making bodies to adopt the system as soon as possible.

Brussels, 9 December 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI