MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU ministers agree food labelling with nutritional content shown on packaging

Tough battle ahead for the rules in the European Parliament

European Union Health and Consumption ministers have agreed rules that will require the nutritional content of food to be shown on packaging.

The draft agreement reached Tuesday by ministers at the employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs council would require the energy content of foodstuffs and the presence of fat, saturates, carbohydrates, protein, sugars and salt to be displayed.

The quantities can be expressed per 100 grams or 100 millilitres, or alternatively as a percentage of recommended intake. Food companies will be able to use other forms of presentation provided they are not misleading. The information does not have to appear on the front of packaging, but all information should be visible in the same field of vision.

Ministers also agreed that there should be compulsory country-of-origin labelling for pork, lamb and poultry. Beef is already subject to compulsory country-of-origin labelling.

The ministers also agreed to exempt a range of alcoholic drinks from the labelling rules.

The agreement reached on Tuesday falls short of demands made by Members of the European Parliament when they agreed their position on the directive in June.

Renata Sommer a German centre-right MEP who drafted the Parliament's opinion, said that she was “disappointed” by the agreement, calling it a “sloppy draft” that neglected important details. She criticised the fact that information on nutrient and energy content would not appear on the front of packaging.

Sommer predicted there would be tough negotiations with the Parliament to reach a deal in second reading. “Consumers will have to wait a while yet for more comprehensible food labelling – if it ever happens,” she said.