Spain latest country to pass food ‘origin’ law

Scottish farmers have long been told that under EU rules they cannot highlight the origin of food with a compulsory ‘made in Scotland’ label.

Now Spain has become the latest EU country to pass a law making it compulsory to declare the origin of dairy products. This covers not only liquid milk, but milk powders for processing and yogurts.

To get around EU rules, the law is ‘temporary’, in that it will only be in place for two years.

France, Italy and Portugal have already put in place similar legislation, all with approval from Brussels for temporary schemes likely to be renewed.

These schemes undermine single market regulations, and France has already said it plans to extend it beyond dairy products to cover even processed food.

This has been criticised by dairy processors outside these countries, but they are powerless to block national legislation that effectively downgrades imported products.

There has been a generally positive response in Europe to the UK decision to call a snap general election.

This is on the basis that a Prime Minister with a large majority will be in a better negotiating position.

This is because they will be able to deliver on any commitments given without fear of being undermined in parliament.

The calling of the election adds to the pressure on the UK farming lobby to agree and maintain a common position on Brexit.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the US President Donald Trump has threatened action against the Canadian dairy industry.

This is on grounds that its dairy supply management controls, which are effectively a quota regime, are illegal under World Trade Organisation rules.

There are signs of alliances coming together for the debate on the future structures of the CAP after 2020.

Already, a number of member states, including the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, are pressing for a simplified CAP, with more decision-making devolved to national capitals.

Now a group of six new member states have joined forces to press for the continuation of a generous CAP, with risk-management tools to dampen volatility but also with a continuation of direct payments.

These demands seem unrealistic, given that the farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, has made clear that the new CAP must focus on food security and the environment, and less on delivering an assured income for farmers.

Picture: PA. Spain has passed legislation making it compulsory to declare the origin of dairy products.