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Food quality certification schemes
SUMMARY OF:
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS COMMUNICATION?
It sets out best practice guidelines covering voluntary quality certification schemes for agricultural products, foodstuffs, and associated production methods and management systems.
KEY POINTS
While some certification schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs cover compliance with compulsory standards, these guidelines specifically concern voluntary certification schemes. These are designed to assure quality levels in areas such as taste, colour or smell as well as, for instance, environmental, animal welfare or ‘fair trade’ factors.
The guidelines are designed to make such voluntary certification schemes more effective by:
The guidelines advise that schemes, though they may be developed by groups of experts, should be structured to encourage the participation of all stakeholders, i.e. producers, farmers, public authorities, interest groups and customers.
The schemes should have the following characteristics:
The guidelines recommend that food labels should not mislead or make false claims about a product in relation to:
BACKGROUND
For more information, see:
MAIN DOCUMENT
Commission communication — EU best practice guidelines for voluntary certification schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ C 341, 16.12.2010, pp. 5–11).
RELATED ACT
Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31 of 1.2.2002, pp. 1–24)
Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 178/2002 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
last update 12.07.2016