Quality is a key to success
Europe is known for the diversity of its farming and its agricultural products, which derive from its natural environment and farming methods developed over centuries.
Together with fine cookery, Europe’s food and drink play a major role in the cultural identity of Europe's peoples and regions. High quality is EU agriculture’s key advantage.
HOW DOES THE EU ENCOURAGE BEST QUALITY FOOD PRODUCTION?
Europe has many different regions. The conditions for agricultural production vary. The different regions have specific production methods and culinary traditions. European and global consumers are showing an increasing interest in the qualities of these foods. The EU plays a major role in enhancing these high quality attributes.
The EU safeguards food quality in many ways, for example via measures to enhance food safety and hygiene, clear labelling rules, regulations on animal and plant health and animal welfare, control of pesticide residues and additives in food and via nutritional information. The EU approach includes strict monitoring and control systems, while ensuring the effective functioning of the European single market.
A CONSTANT SEARCH FOR IMPROVEMENT
Efforts to improve food quality have always been part of the CAP, going back to the development of wine quality labelling in the 1980s, and taken forward in the olive oil and fruit and vegetables sectors. They are now a more central part of agricultural policy. In all areas of the CAP efforts are being made to improve food quality.
Examples of such measures are:
- Beef cattle identification systems and labelling rules, designed to allow full traceability of meat from retail outlet back to the farm of origin;
- Financial incentives available under rural development policy for farmers to improve product quality;
- Specific encouragement for conversion to organic farming.
SPECIAL PRODUCTS HAVE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
The exceptional nature and quality of some products derives from both their place of production and the methods used to make them. Consumers and the food trade are increasingly interested in the geographical origin of food and other characteristics. The EU recognises this and has developed three ‘quality logos’.
A product bearing the PDO logo must have proven characteristics which can result solely from the terrain and abilities of producers in the region of production with which it is associated.
A product bearing the PGI logo has a specific characteristic or reputation associating it with a given area, and at least one stage in the production process is carried out in that area.
The Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) logo is used for products with distinctive features and which either have traditional ingredients or are made using traditional methods.
- The advantages of protecting these quality indications are that they:
- Offer guarantees for consumers about origin and methods of production;
- Deliver effective marketing messages about high value-added products;
- Underpin rural businesses producing quality products by protecting the label against fraudulent imitation.
By spring of 2007, the EU had registered nearly 750 geographical indications, designations of origin and traditional speciality guaranteed products. In addition about 2000 geographical indications for wines and spirits originating in the EU and in third countries are protected on the EU market.
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
Organic farming is a production method that maintains soil structure and fertility, promotes a high standard of animal welfare, and avoids the use of products authorised in conventional agriculture, such as synthetic pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilisers, growth promoters such antibiotics or genetically modified organisms. Farmers use techniques that help sustain ecosystems and reduce pollution. Only a very limited number of additives and processing aids can be used in organic food processing
EU rules guarantee the authenticity of organic farming products wherever they are produced and ensure that the labelling of organic products is accurate. By law the use of the word ‘organic’ and its equivalent in other languages on foodstuffs is reserved solely for products of organic farming. This gives guarantees to consumers about the quality and reliability of the organic produce they buy.
EU organic agriculture is one of the most dynamic sectors, accounting in 2004 for an estimated 5.8 million hectares (3.5 % of total agricultural area) on 150 000 holdings.
The EU organic logo is available for organic farmers and food producers to use on a voluntary basis. It signifies that:
- at least 95 % of the product's ingredients have been organically produced;
- the product complies with the rules of the official inspection scheme;
- the product bears the name of the producer, the preparer or vendor and the name or code of the inspection body.
