12 E.U. Countries Back Stricter Food Origin Labels

Italy’s farm lobby Coldiretti said Tuesday that it has won an important political signal in its campaign for mandatory origin labeling on food sold in the European Union and for a review of customs rules that allow some imported products to be marketed under a different national identity after limited processing.

In a statement from its Basilicata branch, Coldiretti said 12 E.U. countries, including Italy, France and Austria, backed stronger and broader mandatory origin labeling during the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The group said the position marked an early response to a petition it helped organize that gathered more than 1 million signatures and was delivered directly to the European commissioner for health, Olivér Várhelyi, calling for origin to be listed on all foods sold in the bloc.

Coldiretti said the push is meant to give consumers clearer information about what they buy and eat, while also protecting farmers from unfair competition. The organization argued that current labeling rules leave room for ambiguity that can hurt agricultural businesses and mislead shoppers who want to know where ingredients come from.

The group also called for changes to the European customs code, especially the rule known as “last substantial transformation,” which can let products made abroad acquire a new formal origin after minimal processing inside the European Union. Coldiretti said that system can distort the market and allow foreign goods to be presented as Italian even when only limited work was done in Italy.

The organization said it raised the issue again several weeks ago at the Brenner Pass during a national demonstration with farmers from across Italy, including many from Basilicata. It said the protest was aimed at what it sees as distortions in customs rules that allow products such as milk, meat or semi-finished goods from abroad to be sold as Italian without consumers knowing their real origin.

Coldiretti said the debate is about public health, market transparency and farm income. It also said clearer labels would help consumers make informed choices and would curb food fraud and “Italian sounding,” the practice of using names, images or packaging that evoke Italy without being made there. The group said that phenomenon still costs the Italian agri-food sector more than €120 billion.