Rural Europe on the move English_E_version_all | Page 90
CHAPTER 7
Food Hygiene
Regulations
Hristo Kostovski is not alone in
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blue mozzarellas, emerged from the
industrial factory food system.
Silence fell in the meeting room
when Christian Jochum, from the
having to deal with overly strict Austrian Chamber of Agriculture,
legislation regarding hygiene and described how Austrian legislation
consumer safety in food production, applied the European regulations
particularly for processed products. with an innovative, flexible approach,
The problem affects the whole aimed at guaranteeing consumer
region, with tens of thousands of health through simple but effective
producers relegated to the black procedures for the country’s 46,000-
market, simply ignored or, worse, plus small-scale food producers.
facing obstruction from the relevant The EU hygiene regulation gives
authorities. The Terra Madre Balkans member states the power to interpret
network has been campaigning the rules for specific local processing
about this for years. Now, however, and marketing conditions, taking into
the disproportionate investments account the shelf life of products for
demanded of small-scale producers local marketing. Burcu Gezeroglu, a
in order to legally remain on the young Turkish delegate, struggled to
market have also become a problem believe it: “Our authorities don’t support
in other EU countries, from Spain small-scale food producers, they act
to Lithuania, and for almost all EU like police inspectors. They show up,
candidates. This is deeply ironic, find examples of non-compliance, issue
as big food scares of recent years, fines, sometimes close the business,
from the horsemeat scandal to the and then go back behind their desks.” *