Commission Regulation (EC) No 1358/2001 of 4 July 2001 laying down specific communication measures in the beef and veal sector
Date: 2001-07-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: beef, communications policy, consumer information, food inspection, product safety, public awareness campaign

L 182/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

5.7.2001

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1358/2001

of 4 July 2001

laying down specific communication measures in the beef and veal sector

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 of 19
December 2000 on information and promotion actions for
agricultural products on the internal market (1), and in partic-
ular Articles 12 and 16 thereof,

(7)

(8)

(9)

Whereas:

procedure

The
approving
programmes and for selecting the implementing bodies
needs to ensure the broadest possible competition.

presenting

and

for

The criteria to be used by the Member States to evaluate
the programmes should be laid down.

Guidelines should be laid down defining the broad lines
and key aspects of the programmes to ensure that they
are consistent and effective.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000 harmonises and simpli-
fies the existing rules in the different sectors. In the beef
and veal sector these rules only concern the promotion
of quality beef meat and information on labelling.

(10) Given the state of the market in beef and veal, which has
suffered frequent disturbances, the Commission should
be allowed to adapt approved programmes if necessary
to deal with any problems posed by developments on
the market.

In the meantime, the BSE crisis has led to a sharp fall in
the consumption of beef and veal
in a number of
Member States. In order to deal with this serious situa-
tion, specific communication measures are urgently
needed to re-establish consumer confidence in this
product.

these measures are effective,

they
To ensure that
in particular by
derogate from the existing rules
extending their scope and by adapting the approval
procedure for the programmes as well as the financing
rules and thereby act as a transition to the new arrange-
ments provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000.

the market situation,

Because of
the communication
programmes submitted by professional or interprofes-
sional organisations, covering some or all segments of
the production chain consumption level included, must
comprise a first stage consisting of an information
campaign to reassure consumers by providing full infor-
mation on the key aspects of
the Community and
national rules in particular ensuring food safety. Prefer-
ence is given to programmes which concern several
segments of the production chain, consumption level
included.

This first stage may be followed by a promotion stage at
a later date. The measures must take into account evalu-
ation results of the promotion measures already taken.

(11)

(12)

(13)

should be

allowed to present

In order to supplement and develop the measures taken
by professional or interprofessional organisations and by
the Commission, particularly in those Member States
where the sector is not well organised, the Member
information
States
programmes, dealing in particular with organising
conferences, seminars and information networks. The
Member States should also inform the Commission of
measures taken at national level, aiming the setting up
of information networks, in order to ensure coordina-
tion on between the Commission's services and profes-
sional or interprofessional organisations.

Financing rules must be set for these measures. As a
the organisations and Member
general rule, so that
States assume their
the Community
responsibilities,
should meet only part of the cost of measures. However,
the Community should meet the full cost of an evalu-
ation carried out by an independent body of the results
of the programmes presented by the organisations.

The administrative and financial management of promo-
tion contracts concluded with proposing organisations is
covered by Commission Regulation (EC) No 481/1999
of 4 March 1999 laying down general rules for the
management of promotional programmes for certain
should apply,
agricultural products (2). Those rules
subject to some adjustments, to the contracts provided
for in this Regulation.

To avoid any distortion of competition, criteria should
be laid down regarding reference to the specific origin of
the products covered by the programmes.

(14)

Financial relations between the Commission and the
Member States
information measures
should be governed by conventions for this purpose.

carrying out

(1) OJ L 328, 23.12.2000, p. 2.

(2) OJ L 57, 5.3.1999, p. 8.

5.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 182/35

(15)

The joint meeting of Management Committees on the
promotion of agricultural products has not delivered an
opinion within the time limit set by its Chairman,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Community may contribute to the financing of communi-
cation programmes comprising a consistent set of information
measures for beef and veal presented by professional or inter-
professional organisations representative of the market in that
product.

Preference shall be given to programmes covering all or several
segments of the sector.

Programmes shall

last 12 months.

Article 2

The Community contribution shall be 60 % of the actual cost
of the programme. The remaining 40 % shall be borne by the
organisations proposing the programmes.

Article 3

Measures provided for in the programmes must not be brand-
oriented or encourage the consumption of a product on
grounds of its specific origin.

Any reference to the origin of products must be secondary to
the central message of the campaign. However, the origin of a
product may be indicated in the case of a designation under
Community rules or a feature of a typical product needed to
illustrate the measures undertaken.

Article 4

In compliance with the guidelines set out in the Annex, the
programmes referred to in Article 1 shall comprise an informa-
tion stage covering the dissemination of key information on
food safety included in the national and Community legislation
and on the nutritional aspects of the product. A stage on
promotion may be considered at a later stage.

Article 5

1.
Programmes shall be submitted by 15 August 2001 at
the latest to the competent body of the Member State in which
the organisation presenting the programme has its head office.

Programmes shall identify the implementing body chosen by
the organisations presenting them following a competition
approved by the Member State.

The competent body shall consider
the programme and
forward it to the Commission together with a reasoned opinion
by 10 September 2001 at the latest.

The Member States' reasoned opinions shall include an
the following criteria in

2.
appraisal of programmes against
particular:

(a) consideration as to whether the proposed measures are
suited to the goals of the programme and comply with the
guidelines set out in the Annex; this appraisal must include
a justification for the way the budget is broken down to
ensure that the programme is coherent and effective in the
light of the actual market situation;

(b) compliance with Community and national

legislation in

force;

(c) identification of the body responsible for the communi-
cation programme for each measure to be implemented;

(d) the merit of the proposed measures and their link with the
information campaigns run by the Commission and the
public authorities in the Member States;

(e) the likely impact and success of these measures in terms of
the evolution of the demand for the products concerned;

(f) the effectiveness and representativeness of the professional

or interprofessional organisations;

(g) the technical capacity and effectiveness of the proposed

implementing body.

3.
After the programmes have been evaluated, where neces-
sary using technical assistance, the Commission shall approve
programmes, in accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 13(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000, by 20 October
2001 at the latest.

Article 6

1.
The professional organisations presenting the selected
programmes shall be responsible for implementing them prop-
erly.

During implementation of the approved programmes, the
2.
Commission may decide, after consulting the relevant organ-
isations and after informing the Member States concerned, to
adapt them with a view to ensuring that they are suited to the
actual situation on the market, without thereby incurring addi-
tional financial obligations for the organisations concerned.

Article 7

1.
Articles 2 to 5 and Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation (EC)
No 481/1999 shall apply to the programmes referred to in
Article 1.

The Commission shall select the body or bodies respon-
2.
sible for evaluating the results of the implemented measures by
open or restricted invitation to tender.

The Commission shall bear the full cost of the measures

3.
referred to in paragraph 2.

Article 8

The Member States shall inform the Commission, as soon as
possible and before 15 August 2001 at the latest, of measures
taken at national level to inform consumers about the market
for
the products concerned. They shall also inform the
Commission regularly of any new measure taken to that end.

L 182/36

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

5.7.2001

Article 9

1.
Each Member State may present a programme to the
Commission comprising information measures to supplement
and develop those run by the Commission and those referred
to in Article 4 with a view to obtaining Community financing
of 60 % of the actual cost of the measures. The information
provided by such programmes must cover the Community
dimension.

The remaining cost of these programmes shall be borne by the
Member States.

The programmes referred to in paragraph 1 may cover in

2.
particular:
— the organisation of conferences and seminars on the safety

and nutritional value of beef and veal,

— the setting-up of appropriate information networks using,

The programmes shall be presented to the Commission

3.
by 10 September 2001 at the latest.

After informing the Management Committees referred to in
Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 2826/2000, the Commission
shall decide which programmes are selected by 20 October
2001 at the latest.

Article 10

The Commission and the beneficiary Member State shall
conclude a convention governing the rights and obligations
arising from the Commission's decision to part-finance the
programmes selected in accordance with Article 9.

Article 11

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publica-
tion in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

for example, the Internet and freephone services.

It shall apply until 31 December 2002.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 4 July 2001.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

5.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 182/37

ANNEX

GUIDELINES FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMME

I. OBJECTIVES

The communication programme aims to restore confidence in the beef and veal market by co-ordinated efforts in the
Member States affected. The programme shall be flexible. Its objectives and its broad structure shall be common to all,
but the particular combination of its elements and the timing will vary from Member State to Member State as the
situation demands. There shall be a need for consistency, but not uniformity. This shall cover all beef markets.

The entity responsible for the programme must always be identified in each Member State. It shall provide a point of
contact.

Consumers concerns should be addressed and they should be re-assured on beef and veal.

The information campaign

The campaign shall concentrate on re-assurance of the consumers. They need to know that there is an European and
national
labelling) and provides effective control along the
production chain.

legislation installing rules on safety (e.g. traceability,

The campaign shall operate at three levels: European, national authorities and the private sector.

The content and the meaning of national and private labels where utilised, shall be explained.

All the material shall mention the European and national website addresses.

II. KEY ISSUES

is nutritious and under control.

— Beef and veal
— Reinforced safety measures,
— The labels on the meat are there to provide re-assurance.
— More information is available if the consumer needs it.

including controls, are in place.

III. KEY TARGET AUDIENCES

A. Individual consumers

— The key consumer audience to reach is 25-45 year old urban women, with children. These women are the core

of the food buying market.

— A secondary audience is the under 35 year old singles and couples with means to buy and a motivation to

choose the product guided by the convenience and its enjoyable nature.

B. The institutional market — schools, hospitals, catering providers, etc.

Furthermore, specialised press and consumer associations are directly involved as multipliers of opinion.

IV. MAIN INSTRUMENTS

— e-tools (internet),
— telephone information line,
— contacts with media (e.g. consumer journalists, scientific and specialised press), conferences, question-and-answer
sessions given by independent food safety experts. These sessions involve traders, consumer groups, other
institutional market entities,

— print media (e.g. consumer magazines, regional press,
— visual media, such as poster advertising, point of sale materials, TV,
— radio.

leaflets, brochures, etc.),