Consumers who buy food are entitled to nutritional facts, but detailed information on ingredients' countries of origin would lead to far, says the rapporteur on the matter.

Interview: Labels are  meant to be read - Sommer

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15555108/N003-0117-EN.srt

Renate Sommer, you're  the rapporteur for food labelling

What would the consumers gain  if the outcome of vote was implemented?

consumers would get food labelling  that would actually be readable.

There's plenty of information on the labels  but the print is too small to read.

The nutritional values will have to be  listed on the back of pack, in a table,

like it's often done in Germany  but not in other countries.

The list of ingredients on the back of pack  will also remain mandatory.

And it's the wish of the Parliament  that it's mentioned on the front of pack

whether the food in question  is an imitation.

You have severely criticised  the Commission's draft.

My main criticism was that  the draft came at the wrong time.

It was only after  the presentation of the draft

that a Commission-funded  EU-wide consumer survey was launched

to find out what kind of labelling  they would understand,

what demands they have,  what they really want to know.

We are still waiting  for the results of this survey,

so we don't know what information  should go on the packaging.

There were significant differences of  opinion on some points.

Did the lobbies seek to heavily influence  decisions about transfats, salt and sugar?

At the second reading I noticed  that lobbying became shameless.

There were attempts  to put pressure on MEPs

which we naturally cannot tolerate.  I have to admit that I was appalled.

There was a lot of internal debate  about the country-of-origin label.

The EP seems to be heading for a conflict  with the Council on this.

The Commission's draft did not include  mandatory country-of-origin labelling

unless there was reason to believe  that consumers would be misled.

The Council gave in a little  after the first reading in the Parliament,

and now it supports a mandatory  country-of-origin label for meat and fish.

But yesterday the EP decided  to introduce country-of-origin labelling

not only for all kinds of meat,  poultry and fish,

but also for processed foods  and particularly those containing meat.

After yesterday's vote, listing  only one country of origin is not enough

unless the animal is born, reared  and slaughtered in one place.

Otherwise all three countries  have to be listed.

It would be helpful if the consumers could  learn how much CO2 was emitted

and how often the animal was transported  within Europe before being slaughtered.

Even if an ingredient comes  from somewhere outside Europe

it doesn't necessarily  have a bigger carbon foot print

The Committee just voted, the informal  trilogue meetings will start soon.

Early in May we'll begin the preliminary  negotiations with the Council

The second reading will take place  in Strasbourg in July, and before then

we'll try to reach a compromise,  but it will be difficult.