51999AC0700

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (codified version)"

(1999/C 258/03)

On 17 May 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 95 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 1 June 1999. The rapporteur was Mr Jaschick.

At its 365th plenary session (meeting of 7 July 1999), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 98 votes to one, with four abstentions.

1. This legislative consolidation proposal was drawn up on the basis of a preliminary consolidation, in all the official languages, of Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs and the instruments amending it. The new directive will supersede the various directives incorporated in the consolidation.

2. The Economic and Social Committee welcomes the Commission proposal, since the consolidation corresponds to the need for Community law to be clear and transparent. An examination of the text has shown that the Commission proposal contains no substantive changes, but only formal changes made necessary by the actual process of consolidation.

Brussels, 7 July 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI