France is about to introduce a new “traffic light” labelling referred to nutritional values of food, as a “recommended nutritional indication”, supported by technical rules allowing to rate any food by attributing them a nutritional score, basing on two different systems (a general one, and a special one which applies to cheese, vegetal or animal fats, and beverages). We could even figure out some positive aspect in it, since such a regulated voluntary labelling can prevent businesses, stakeholders and their organizations from adopting various fanciful classifications between “good” and “bad” foodstuffs. But, at the same time, the brand new French “traffic light” nutritional labelling (indeed, not the only one in the single market) is a clear signal of a trend, within EU members’ national borders, toward a growing use of national indications, formally bearing nutritional messages, but actually suitable for a protectionist use. While hoping for a judicial control by the ECJ to take place soon, we must admit that such national initiatives are due also to an incomplete legislation, still missing the “nutrient profiles” of food, provided for by EC Reg. No. 1924/2006. Now, such a lacking regulation is about to create disputes and misunderstandings between two countries which are not only geographically close to each other, but also quite similar with regard both to food culture and to European culture: two EEC founders, which could be part of the European “hard core”, and which could lose a precious occasion of cohesion and stability for the entire Europe.
Rosso, giallo o verde? L’ennesima etichetta alimentare a semaforo
Paolo Borghi
2017
Abstract
France is about to introduce a new “traffic light” labelling referred to nutritional values of food, as a “recommended nutritional indication”, supported by technical rules allowing to rate any food by attributing them a nutritional score, basing on two different systems (a general one, and a special one which applies to cheese, vegetal or animal fats, and beverages). We could even figure out some positive aspect in it, since such a regulated voluntary labelling can prevent businesses, stakeholders and their organizations from adopting various fanciful classifications between “good” and “bad” foodstuffs. But, at the same time, the brand new French “traffic light” nutritional labelling (indeed, not the only one in the single market) is a clear signal of a trend, within EU members’ national borders, toward a growing use of national indications, formally bearing nutritional messages, but actually suitable for a protectionist use. While hoping for a judicial control by the ECJ to take place soon, we must admit that such national initiatives are due also to an incomplete legislation, still missing the “nutrient profiles” of food, provided for by EC Reg. No. 1924/2006. Now, such a lacking regulation is about to create disputes and misunderstandings between two countries which are not only geographically close to each other, but also quite similar with regard both to food culture and to European culture: two EEC founders, which could be part of the European “hard core”, and which could lose a precious occasion of cohesion and stability for the entire Europe.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
