“This is bound to lead to greater clarity for producers and inspectors, with advantages in terms of food safety for consumers," comments Professor Giorgio Donegani, food technology expert and President of Food Education Italy and member of the Supervision Committee for the Fruitylife.
The new regulations, after being approved by Parliament and the European Council, should come into force from 2016, introducing a simplification of the current regulations, reducing the number of laws governing the food and agriculture sector from 70 to 5.
The entire bureaucratic apparatus regarding the processes, procedures and administrative fees which farmers, breeders and operators in the food sector (producers, processors and distributors) deal with will also be slimmed down.
“A slimmer regulatory framework means more precision, rationalization and efficiency” – explains Professor Donegani. “Overly complex, articulated regulations can become contradictory and dispersive. With the move to only 5 legislative acts, producers will have fewer but clearer regulations and inspectors will need to follow fewer but more precise and safe guidelines. We hope that the fruit and vegetable sector will move ever closer to what happens in the organic production sector: simple, clear and unequivocal rules that make it possible for consumers to serve an ever greater number of controlled products on their tables".
Regarding on-site inspections, the competent authorities will have more efficient tools to check compliance with European regulations and European member states will have to integrate anti-fraud controls with their respective national supervision plans.
“The harmonisation of controls between member States and the European system will not create any great problems," adds Professor Donegani. “I am sure that thanks to a phase of confrontation between the various countries, the change will be perceived as harmonious and to the advantage of final consumers, without penalizing local situations which may in some cases be protected with a few specific derogations”.
More simple rules will be introduced for the sale of seeds and other reproductive plant material aiming to create a wider choice for users, in order to guarantee productivity, adaptability and diversity in the plant and forestry production in Europe.
"Opening up to a wider variety of seeds is a positive and essential move in dealing with the reduction of biodiversity and therefore product uniformity. An advantage for the environment, but also for health and taste" – says Professor Donegani. "Always consuming the same products exposes the intestines to a repeated stimulus that can have a negative effect in the long term. Varying the food we eat can also help to prevent developing intolerances”.
“A slimmer regulatory framework means more precision, rationalization and efficiency” – explains Professor Donegani. “Overly complex, articulated regulations can become contradictory and dispersive. With the move to only 5 legislative acts, producers will have fewer but clearer regulations and inspectors will need to follow fewer but more precise and safe guidelines. We hope that the fruit and vegetable sector will move ever closer to what happens in the organic production sector: simple, clear and unequivocal rules that make it possible for consumers to serve an ever greater number of controlled products on their tables".
Regarding on-site inspections, the competent authorities will have more efficient tools to check compliance with European regulations and European member states will have to integrate anti-fraud controls with their respective national supervision plans.
“The harmonisation of controls between member States and the European system will not create any great problems," adds Professor Donegani. “I am sure that thanks to a phase of confrontation between the various countries, the change will be perceived as harmonious and to the advantage of final consumers, without penalizing local situations which may in some cases be protected with a few specific derogations”.
More simple rules will be introduced for the sale of seeds and other reproductive plant material aiming to create a wider choice for users, in order to guarantee productivity, adaptability and diversity in the plant and forestry production in Europe.
"Opening up to a wider variety of seeds is a positive and essential move in dealing with the reduction of biodiversity and therefore product uniformity. An advantage for the environment, but also for health and taste" – says Professor Donegani. "Always consuming the same products exposes the intestines to a repeated stimulus that can have a negative effect in the long term. Varying the food we eat can also help to prevent developing intolerances”.