On the Commission delegated regulation of 14 December 2023 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards specific hygiene requirements for certain meat, fishery products, dairy products and eggs
B-9-2024-0211
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament objects to the Commission delegated regulation of 14 December 2023 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 on hygiene requirements for certain meat, fishery products, dairy products and eggs.¶ It says the delegated regulation cannot enter into force and asks the Commission to submit a new delegated act based on scientific data and EFSA advice.¶¶ It warns that the rules on stiffening and the change from the 'EC' to the 'EU' identification mark could cause job losses, higher costs, food waste and export disruption.¶¶¶ It calls for consumer labelling, EFSA consultation, a review clause, and either keeping the 'EC' mark or a transition period of at least 10 years.¶¶¶
Key points
- Parliament objects to the Commission delegated regulation of 14 December 2023 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.¶
- It instructs its President to notify the Commission that the delegated regulation cannot enter into force.¶
- It says implementation without clear food safety justification could lead to large-scale job losses, especially in fishing regions.¶¶
- It says the rules could harm the competitiveness of Union fish processors, affect producers of over 50 % of smoked salmon in Europe, cause shortages and raise consumer prices.¶
- It says the rules could create disproportionate food waste.¶
- It calls for reliable consumer information with proper labelling on fish processing and asks the Commission to address labelling in the upcoming revision of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.¶
- It regrets that the Commission did not consult the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the 96-hour timeframe for smoked salmon and calls on the Commission to consult EFSA.¶
- It calls on the Commission to submit a new delegated act based on scientific data, non-discriminatory, considering Parliament's concerns and EFSA recommendations.¶
- It calls on the Commission to address public health risks from Listeria monocytogenes and, if no concern arises, to consider sector experience and consult stakeholders.¶
- It calls on the Commission to include a review clause in the new delegated act.¶
- It calls on the Commission to either maintain the current 'EC' marking or introduce a transition period of at least 10 years for the change to the 'EU' abbreviation.¶
- It instructs its President to forward the resolution to the Council and to the governments and parliaments of the member states.¶
Who is affected
- Fish processors in the Union, especially smoked salmon producers, face possible job losses, competitiveness harm and shortages.¶¶
- European dairy producers face administrative burden, costs and waste from the change in the identification mark.¶
- Consumers may face higher prices, shortages and a need for clear labelling on fish processing.¶¶
- The Commission is asked to consult EFSA, submit a new delegated act and address labelling and public health.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- 96 hours: maximum duration for stiffening and subsequent slicing under the delegated regulation.¶¶
- -2 to -14°C: temperature range for stiffening processed fish fillets.¶
- -2°C/-4°C: higher stiffening temperatures for 'soft slicing'.
- -7°C/-14°C: lower stiffening temperatures for 'hard slicing'.
- over 50 %: share of smoked salmon in Europe produced by affected producers.¶
- at least 10 years: transition period requested for the change to the 'EU' abbreviation.¶
Legal basis: Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶