WRITTEN QUESTION P-3155/00

by Francesco Speroni (TDI) to the Commission

(2 October 2000)

Subject: Certificate of specific character (guaranteed traditional speciality TSG) for Italian untreated comb honey

In 1994 supporting documents relating to untreated comb honey (i.e. honey that drips naturally from the comb) were complied to enable the product to qualify for the description provided for in Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92(1). The papers, which were attached to the standard application for a TSG certificate, were sent to the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, which forwarded them to the Commission on 8 September 1995. Initial approval from Directorate-General VI was not forthcoming until early 1997, and, once the approval had been obtained, the application was duly passed on to DG III, then responsible for honey. Following various requests, DG III eventually delivered a favourable opinion at the end of August 1999. In his letter of 28 March 2000 to a number of Italian Members of Parliament, the Commission President, Romano Prodi, informed them that the procedure had been concluded and the registration application in question should accordingly be published in the Official Journal within the next few days. In September 2000, however, the Member of the Commission responsible for agriculture, Mr Fischler, indicated that the application for registration of untreated comb honey would be published in the Official Journal as soon as the Council had finally adopted the new Community directive on honey.

Can the Commission therefore say:

- what made Mr Prodi and Mr Fischler issue official statements so grossly at variance, thereby causing great bewilderment among Italian producers and undermining the public image of the Commission;

- what the reasons are for the successive delays which have prevented a TSG certificate from being granted in respect of Italian untreated comb honey;

- whether it is obliged on binding legal grounds to postpone the award of the TSG label and make it subject to adoption of the new directive on honey or whether its decision is purely a matter of expediency or has been brought about solely by political pressure;

- how it views the unremitting pressure being exerted by the big food companies to prevent Italian honeys being recognised in any way as typical products with their own specific identity?

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 9.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 October 2000)

Since the Commission was unable to consider the application for registration under existing legislation, untreated comb honey has not, until now, received protection for its specific character (TSG) under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs. Indeed, the directive in force does not stipulate that descriptions may be supplemented by indications referring to specific quality standards. However, this possibility is planned in the amendment to the directive that has yet to be adopted by the Council. Furthermore, certain parameters set out in the specifications of the dossier (total acidity for example) did not correspond to standards established by the former directive on honey. The Italian authorities have also been asked to provide clarification regarding certain aspects of the dossier.

These reasons are an explanation for the delay, however we are now making up some lost ground, since agreement on an amendment to the Directive on honey was reached by the Council in May 2000.

We are currently awaiting Parliament's opinion, on the basis of which the Council will be able to adopt the amended text of the Directive allowing untreated comb honey as an approved designation. It will then be possible to make progress regarding the certificate of specific character for honey.