Rural Europe on the move English_E_version_all | Page 91

Local Food Matters!
The fault
of national
governments,
not the EU
The problem, therefore, is not
the rigidity of European regulations,
but their application in member
states and candidate countries.
Even the European Commission by
now recognises that the flexibility
provisions in the so-called ‘Hygiene
Package’ have not been adequately
implemented on national level.
“The participants of the workshop
chains. These intermediate bodies shall
invite the European Commission facilitate the communication between
to actively promote and support competent authorities and producers
an exchange of best practices and should be open for interested civil
between the competent authorities society organisations.”
of the member states and accession
countries (through cooperation
programmes, training etc.). In addition,
a food safety help desk / mediation
body should be made available at EU
and at national level, providing support
and advice to national, regional or local
administrations, targeting practicable
solutions, especially for local food
OPPOSITE
7. Christian Jochum presents
the Austrian experience
8. Participants exchange before writing the
collective declaration “Local Food Matters!”
THIS PAGE
9. Group photo from the workshop
Local Food Matters 2014
This is why the over 60 participants,
each representing European and
national institutions or civil society
organisations, jointly released a
declaration asking the European
Commission to remedy matters as
soon as possible:
“The EU hygiene regulation gives member
states the power to interpret the rules, taking
into account the specific local processing and
marketing conditions and shelf life of products.”
Michele Rumiz
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