Dossier 'officiële controles'

On Thursday 20 February in Brussels the European Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee voted on new European rules on food and hygiene controls. The report with amendments to the European Commission’s draft law was adopted by the ENVI committee. The matter will now go to the plenary session of the European Parliament, where it will be adopted in mid-April.

The first reading mainly included a debate about ‘fees’. In The Netherlands some control fees are passed on to the sector, whereas that is not always the case in other EU member states. “Equality on this matter is important to create a level playing field in Europe. Given the competitive position of the Dutch sector, it is good to lay this down at European level,” says MEP Esther de Lange. “The other member states are now moving towards the Dutch position. The Netherlands should not move even further ahead of the European pack,” says De Lange. She therefore disagrees with the Dutch government's plan to pass on yet more costs in full as chargeable work. De Lange wanted to head that off in Brussels by submitting her proposed amendments, whereby only the actual costs incurred for specific controls could be passed on. Her proposals were all adopted.
(JW)