Quality Package, Catania: its approval an important result for Italy

by S. C.

"The result is even more significant if we consider the improvements made on the original text. Moreover, this was achieved despite the minority position that Italy had at the beginning of the negotiations, which highlights how much effort and determination were put in carrying out our requests to the EU. " This declared the Minister of agricultural food and forestry policies commenting today’s approval of the 'quality package' by the European Parliament.

"The approval of the 'quality package' is great news for Italy, which has managed to obtain this important result for the protection of our agricultural food production. The result is even more significant if we consider the improvements made on the original text. Moreover, this was achieved despite the minority position that Italy had at the beginning of the negotiations, which highlights how much effort and determination were put in carrying out our requests to the EU. " This declared the Minister of agricultural food and forestry policies commenting today’s approval of the 'quality package' by the European Parliament.
"I think it is important to remember - said the Minister - that the regulation approved introduces a number of new elements that are of the utmost importance for Italian food. Like the measure on the protection ex officio: with it the Member States are obliged to take steps to protect the geographical indications of other member countries and our excellent food can be protected in an appropriate manner. This is an important step forward not only in protecting consumers, but also for our producers who see every day pirated, imitated and evoked their brands in other countries, like in the Parmesan case".
"In addition to the ex officio protection, there are other important elements within the 'package' that concern - Catania explained- the recognition of a specific role given to consortia, the inclusion of chocolate among quality products, the possibility to indicate on the label the so-called 'area brands', the Protection of TSG products – like the Neapolitan pizza - the creation of the indication 'mountain products'. "
"This is the good news, there is however some not so good news: excluded from the 'quality package' is an important issue like the extension to other products of the authority to carry out a production programming, which was already foreseen for PDO cheeses in the 'milk Package', which was approved earlier this year. The measure relating to the regulation of production volumes remains - concluded the Minister - an open question that we will address as part of the ongoing negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy."