The European Commission is undertaking high-level research on mandatory origin labelling for meats and milk. A tender for this in-depth study is currently under way and a deadline for submissions is 9 September.
The Commission wants research on mandatory origin labelling for milk, milk used as an ingredient in dairy products and unprocessed meat other than beef, pig, poultry, sheep and goat meat.
According to the tender specifications, the main objective of this study is to collect the data that would allow the Commission to assess the need for consumers to be informed regarding the origin of the following pre-packed foods in terms of milk and and milk used as an ingredient in dairy products, and meat, fresh and frozen.
The cost and benefits of such a scheme will also be examined.
In terms of implementation, a number of factors will be explored, such as supply chain, consumer behaviour, competitiveness, possible admin burdens and impact on markets.
A copy of the full tender can be found here.