“PYRRHIC VICTORY” OF MADE IN ITALY FOOD: THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT READY TO APPROVE LABELING BILL, BUT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL GOES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO VOLUNTEER LABELING OF PRODUCT ORIGIN

The Senate gave the second approval to the bill on labeling, which makes it mandatory to include the source of origin on food product labels. Now it goes to the House for final approval, which, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Giancarlo Galan, should be within days. Victory. For whom, no one knows. Against whom, no one knows.

Yes, because the European Council is going in the opposite direction, as the President of the EU Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, Paolo De Castro had long foreseen. Just when in Italy they are celebrating the victory of the “invincible shield” to protect Italian products, the EU Council threw cold water on the Italians’ enthusiasm. The legislative body has confirmed the European Parliament line on nutrition labeling for alcoholic beverages, including wine, and the color system of labeling for single ingredient agricultural products, meat and fish. It instead has given the green light to voluntary labeling. This means that the big retailers will continue to give their own brand to products without having to indicate the source of origin. True, it is not the definitive law, which must be promoted by Parliament, but the indication is clear. And what about the law approved in Italy, then? It has no legal value, because the European law transcends national laws. The only possibility is to ask the EU for origin labeling product by product. So what victory are we talking about? Rather, what battle are we talking about, if the Minister for Health, Ferruccio Fazio, lets the EU approve the exemption to list ingredients on wines and non-carbonated beverages?