During the plenary session (13 - 16 March 2017) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the report by Karin KADENBACH (S&amp;D, AT) concerning the Draft plans to tighten up official food inspections, from farm to fork, . The legislation, already informally agreed by MEPs and the Council, aims to improve food traceability, combat fraud and restore consumer trust in the integrity of the food chain. Statements by Karin KADENBACH (S&amp;D, AT), Rapporteur, Pilar AYUSO (EPP, ES), Daciana Octavia SARBU (S&amp;D, RO), Julie GIRLING (ECR, UK)and Jasenko SELIMOVIC (ALDE, SE).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

GIRLING, Julie (EPP, UK)

food safety (T)

animal welfare (T)

KADENBACH, Karin (S&D, AT)

SÂRBU, Daciana Octavia (S&D, RO)

AYUSO, Pilar (EPP, ES)

SELIMOVIC, Jasenko (ALDE, SE)

plant health (T)

plant reproductive material (T)

Food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (German), Karin KADENBACH (S&amp;D, AT), rapporteur, We want to go from farm to fork as they said, not just meat, food coming from animal meat, but also plants, the title is about to insure the application of food and feed law, animal health, welfare and plant protection products. It is a comprehensive framework which includes all the areas of control in the future. We have seen, and this is a big demand, that the member states should have the appropriate resources for those controls.

SOUNDBITE (German), Karin KADENBACH (S&amp;D, AT), We have to combat any sort of fraud. It&rsquo;s for the first time that whistle-blowers can reveal practices without their own economic independence being at stake. We have a system where there is more independence and quality for the implementing policy. We have a new system of transparency, where the publication of activities and official controls can be guaranteed. We can, and this is important for me, in times of crisis, react much more quickly.

SOUNDBITE (German), Karin KADENBACH (S&amp;D, AT), For many of us, today&rsquo;s discussion on keeping rabbits in Europe, rabbits farming, has shown the question on animal welfare. We can&rsquo;t be unethical when it comes to animals, even if the slaughterhouse is the goal of their transports, there should be conditions which are up to animal welfare. We&rsquo;ve talks about reference centres where all this knowledge can be exchanged, and the integrity of the food chain guaranteed.

SOUNDBITE (English), Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS, Member of the EC in charge of Health and Food Safety, Consumers and businesses should feel reassured that the control system across the EU is fit for purpose, and safeguards the safety and quality of the entirely agri-food chain. In particular, the new regulation will introduce a more comprehensive approach to official controls along the entirely agri-food chain, by extending its scope, to cover plant health and animal buy products.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Pilar AYUSO (EPP, ES), It is for the first time that in the EU we have the best security food system, and we have the best animal welfare, and we&rsquo;ve got to insure that we will maintain those standards. The recent scandals on the food chain made it clear that the penalties were not sufficient, and from now on, those who commit frauds will be penalised, not just taking into account the economic profit they have gained, but also in function of the volume of the business of the companies that have committed the fraud.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Pilar AYUSO (EPP, ES), The regulation that we are going to adopt applies also to plants. We&rsquo;ve got xylella fastidiosa, a disease affecting our olive trees. There is evidence of the importance of having control while importing foods.

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Daciana Octavia S&#194;RBU (S&amp;D, RO), The new law will insure a better protection of consumers and will make sure that those companies that observe the law will have the right benefits. This is also applying to those producing organic food, and that have often been subject to unfair competition.

SOUNDBITE (English), Julie GIRLING (ECR, UK), The official controls proposal was part of the review on plant and animal health package announced by the EC in 2013 with the intention to simplify and modernise existing rules, strengthening the enforcement of health and safety standards across the agri-food chain. This becomes particularly urgent in the aftermath of the horse meet scandal.

SOUNDBITE (Swedish), Jasenko SELIMOVIC (ALDE, SE), More effective rules against fraudulent practices. European citizens want us to secure high safety standards and these new rules are, or will be delivering on that point. The new official controls will also insure the high level of human, animal and plant health, along the agri-food chain.