European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed (COM(2005)0694 - C6-0026/2006 - 2005/0270(CNS))
Date: 2006-03-16
Institutions: Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, European Parliament
Subjects: agricultural product, brand name, consumer information, consumer protection, foodstuff, labelling, preparation for market, product diversification

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Official Journal of the European Union

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5.6.

IMPROVE THE EARLY DETECTION, EVALUATION AND COMMUNICATION OF RISKS BY:

Thursday, 16 March 2006

5.6.1.

Supporting scientific advice and risk evaluation, including the tasks of the independent
scientific committees established by Commission Decision 2004/210/EC of 3 March 2004
setting up Scientific Committees in the field of consumer safety, public health and the
environment (1);

5.6.2. Collection and collation of information and establishment of networks of specialists and

institutes;

5.6.3.

Promoting the development and harmonisation of risk assessment methodologies;

5.6.4. Actions for collecting and assessing information on the exposure of populations and sub-
groups to chemical, biological and physical hazards to health, including the effects of such
hazards;

5.6.5.

Establishing mechanisms concerning early detection of emerging risks and action on newly
identified risks;

5.6.6.

Strategies to improve risk communication;

5.6.7.

Training in risk assessment.

5.7. PROMOTE THE SAFETY OF ORGANS, SUBSTANCES OF HUMAN ORIGIN, BLOOD AND

BLOOD DERIVATIVES

5.7.1. Activities to help enhance the safety, quality and traceability of organs and substances of

human origin, including blood, blood components and blood precursors;

5.7.2.

Supporting strategies and mechanisms for the promotion of living donor transplantation
and for tackling the issue of organ shortage taking into account ethical considerations;

5.7.3. Developing and operating common platforms between donors and recipients for estab-

lishing best practice on organs and substances of human origin;

5.7.4. Creating a European organ donor card.

5.8. HORIZONTAL ISSUES

Technical assistance for the analysis of issues related to the development and implementation of
policies and legislation.

(1) OJ L 66, 4.3.2004, p. 45.

P6_TA(2006)0094

Agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on agricultural
products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed (COM(2005)0694 — C6-0026/2006 —
2005/0270(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2005)0694) (1),

— having regard to Article 37 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C6-0026/2006),

(1) Not yet published in OJ.

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Thursday, 16 March 2006

— having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A6-0033/2006),

1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4. Asks the Council
substantially;

to consult Parliament again if

it

intends to amend the Commission proposal

5.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 1

Recital 7

(7) The labelling of agricultural products and foodstuffs is
subject to the general rules laid down in Council Directive
2000/13/EC of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the
laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presenta-
tion and advertising of foodstuffs. In view of their specific
character, however, special additional provisions should be
adopted for traditional specialities guaranteed.
to
make for easier and quicker identification of traditional special-
ities guaranteed produced within the Community, use of the
expressions and Community symbols concerned should be
made obligatory on their labelling, while affording operators a
reasonable amount of time to adjust to this requirement.

In order

(7) The labelling of agricultural products and foodstuffs is
subject to the general rules laid down in Directive 2000/13/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March
2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of food-
stuffs. In view of their specific character, however, special addi-
tional provisions should be adopted for traditional specialities
guaranteed. In order to make for easier and quicker identifica-
tion of traditional specialities guaranteed produced within the
Community, use of
the expressions and the specific Com-
munity symbol associated with the relevant traditional speci-
ality guaranteed should be made obligatory on their labelling,
while affording operators a reasonable amount of
time to
adjust to this requirement.

Amendment 2

Recital 7 a (new)

(7a) With regard to the extension of the scope of applica-
tion of this Regulation to products from third countries, and
in order to safeguard consumers against the risk of confusion
between the Community symbol and the origin of
the
product, the label should indicate the place of origin and the
place of processing of the agricultural product or foodstuff
marketed, with an indication of the traditional speciality
guaranteed.

Amendment 3

Article 2, paragraph 1, point (b)

(b)

‘traditional’ means proven usage on the Community
market for a period at least equal to that generally
ascribed to a human generation;

(b)

‘traditional’ means a product that has proven specific
characteristics which distinguish it from other similar
products in the same category, and that has been used on
the market since before the Second World War;

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Amendment 4

Article 3, paragraph 1

Thursday, 16 March 2006

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

The Commission shall keep a register of the traditional special-
ities guaranteed recognised throughout the Community under
this Regulation.

The Commission shall keep a register of the traditional special-
ities guaranteed recognised throughout the Community under
this Regulation and publish it on the Internet.

Amendment 5

Article 3, paragraph 2 a (new)

In no circumstances shall it be permitted to use names that
have been registered as products of designated origin (PDOs)
or products of geographical indication (PGIs).

Amendment 6

Article 7, paragraph 3, point (d a) (new)

(da) any other information which, on duly justified grounds,

the Member State considers to be necessary.

Amendment 7

Article 7, paragraph 5, subparagraph 1

5. When undertaking the scrutiny referred to in the second
subparagraph of paragraph 4, Member States shall introduce a
national objection procedure ensuring adequate publication of
the application and providing for a reasonable period in which
any legitimately concerned individual established on its terri-
tory may lodge an objection to the application.

5. When undertaking the scrutiny referred to in the second
subparagraph of paragraph 4, Member States shall introduce a
national objection procedure ensuring adequate publication of
the application and providing for a period of 3 months within
which any legitimately concerned individual established on its
territory may lodge an objection to the application.

Amendment 17

Article 7, paragraph 7, subparagraph 1 a (new)

Where that information proves insufficient, the Commission
shall be entitled to demand from the group in a third country
all the relevant supplementary information, including proof
of compatibility with Community standards in the field of
environmental protection, food and animal feeds hygiene,
animal welfare and worker protection.

Amendment 8

Article 8, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1

1.
The Commission shall scrutinise the application in order
to check that it is justified and meets the conditions laid down
in this Regulation.

1. Within a period of four months of receipt, the Commis-
sion shall scrutinise the application in order to check that it is
justified and meets the conditions laid down in this Regulation.

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 9

Article 8, paragraph 2, subparagraph 1

2. Where the conditions of this Regulation appear to be
met, the Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the
specification referred to in
European Union the product
Article 6, and the details of the applicant group and of the
inspection structure(s) laid down in Article 15.

2. Where the conditions of this Regulation appear to be
met and within a period of no longer than six months from
the date of receipt of the application referred to in Article 7
(6), the Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the
European Union the product
specification referred to in
Article 6, and the details of the applicant group and of the
inspection structure(s) laid down in Article 15.

Amendment 10

Article 9, paragraph 4, subparagraph 2

The registration shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

The registration shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Union and on the Internet and shall
include the
publication details of the product specification referred to in
the first subparagraph of Article 8(2).

Amendment 11

Article 12, paragraph 2

2. Where reference is made to a traditional speciality guar-
anteed on the labelling of an agricultural product or foodstuff
produced within the Community,
the
expression ‘traditional speciality guaranteed’ or its abbreviation
‘TSG’ as well as the associated Community symbol shall appear
thereon.

the registered name,

2. Where reference is made to a traditional speciality guar-
anteed on the labelling of an agricultural product or foodstuff
produced within the Community,
the
expression ‘traditional speciality guaranteed’ or its abbreviation
‘TSG’ as well as the specific associated Community symbol
shall appear thereon.

the registered name,

Amendment 12

Article 12, paragraph 3 a (new)

3a.
The place of origin and the place of processing of each
agricultural product or foodstuff marketed with a Com-
munity certificate of specific character in accordance with
this Regulation shall be clearly and visibly indicated on the
label.

Amendment 13

Article 15, paragraph 2, subparagraph 1 a (new)

Existing private inspection bodies may seek such accredita-
tion within one year from the date of publication of this
Regulation.

Amendment 14

Article 15, paragraph 3

3.
The public or private inspection bodies referred to in
paragraph 1 shall have the powers to enforce compliance with
this Regulation, including, where appropriate, by imposition of
penalties, if they find that an agricultural product or foodstuff
designated as a traditional speciality guaranteed does not
comply with the requirements laid down in the product specifi-
cation.

3.
The public inspection bodies referred to in paragraph 1
shall have the powers to enforce compliance with this Regu-
lation, including, where appropriate, by imposition of penalties,
if they find that an agricultural product or foodstuff designated
as a traditional speciality guaranteed does not comply with the
requirements laid down in the product specification.

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Amendment 15

Article 17, paragraph 2 a (new)

Thursday, 16 March 2006

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

2a.
If a processed product contains an agricultural product
or foodstuff that has been registered under this Regulation,
the use of
the relevant expression on the label of the
processed product shall be subject to the specific authorisa-
tion of the group that obtained recognition.

Amendment 16

Article 18, paragraph 3

3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4
and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.

deleted

The period provided for
1999/468/EC shall be three months.

in Article 4(3) of Decision

P6_TA(2006)0095

Protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural
products and foodstuffs *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on the protec-
tion of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
(COM(2005)0698 — C6-0027/2006 — 2005/0275(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2005)0698) (1),

— having regard to Article 37 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C6-0027/2006),

— having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A6-0034/2006),

1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council, as a first step, to make only those amendments to Council Regulation (EEC) No
2081/92 (2) which are necessary in the light of the ruling of the World Trade Organisation, and to debate
without time pressure those elements of the Commission proposal which are more far-reaching;

4. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5. Asks the Council
substantially;

to consult Parliament again if

it

intends to amend the Commission proposal

6.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

(1) Not yet published in OJ.
(2) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 1.