In a landmark ruling issued today, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) has specified the legal framework for Member States seeking to establish terms to protect the names of products of animal origin. While the Court ultimately ruled that the French attempt to regulate such terms was not compliant with EU law, it outlined a path forward for adopting legal names. In what is a more complex debate than it might seem, Copa and Cogeca urge the EU to protect meat and fish denominations as it is the case for dairy products.
In response to questions posed by the French court, the ECJ confirmed that Member States can indeed establish legal names that associate a specific term with a particular foodstuff, aiming to protect consumers. The Court considered that the French decree did not establish a ‘legal name’ and, therefore, cannot forbid producers of plant-based protein foods from using common or descriptive names for their products.
Taking this clarification into account, we call on the European Commission and Member States to swiftly propose legislation that clearly defines legal names for products of animal origin. This would help prevent consumer confusion, address potential health concerns, and protect the image and reputation of animal-based foods from usurpation, unfair comparisons, and misuse.
As representatives of both plant and animal producers, we believe that there is room for all types of products, and that they can coexist on the market. Just as margarine never claimed to be butter, alternative products should also have their own identities. We will continue advocating for fair product naming and marketing standards, as we know that other novel foods in the future could exacerbate confusion. The misappropriation of traditional names is often driven by significant marketing interests that aim to bypass a clear description of what these alternative products really are.
We regret that this debate was not solved during the previous mandate of the Commission and firmly believe that plant-based imitation products and animal-origin foods should be recognised as entirely distinct in terms of legal names, composition, and form.
Fonte: Copa Cogeca
