International Conference on EU Double Food Standards Held in Sofia

Bulgaria’s government, the national ombudsman, MEPs and experts will take part in an international high-level forum dedicated to the double standard of foods within the EU on 30^th of April. The event takes place under the patronage of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and as part of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The purpose of the meeting in Sofia is to discuss the possibility of solving the problem of the double standard of food in the EU by adopting new legislation or changes to the current directives that should prohibit the distribution of foods from the same brand containing different ingredients.

The event is a natural continuation of the debate on the subject in the Community highlighting that "in a Union on a level playing field there can be no second-quality consumers".

The summit is attended by Věra Jourová, the Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Mariya Gabriel, the Commissioner for Digital Economy and Digital Society, ministers of economy, agriculture and health of the EU Member States, as well as heads of relevant national consumer and food safety authorities, MEPs, MPs, ambassadors and others.

The main task set by the organisers of today's forum is to make a final decision on the time when the ban on the dual standard of food will be introduced. The Minister in charge for the Bulgarian presidency Lilyana Pavlova explained that EU and the Bulgarian presidency have three main goals: to have no second-hand consumers, no second-hand goods to be offered, and also to have no goods of poor quality at high prices.

According to the latest study by the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture, 46% of the compared goods in Bulgaria and other member states proved to be up to 80% more expensive. This will be banned.

One of the organizers of the conference, Maya Manolova, commented that this is not about the difference between consumers, but about different attitude of the different large corporations.

Lilyana Pavlova, Minister of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU: In Bulgarian milk sold to Bulgarian children, there is less calcium, half less potassium and half less phosphorus. What milk do our children drink then is my question? Another example is the milk chocolate - the milk chocolate sold in our country contains less cocoa but it does not contain any butter. It contains, as a quantitative dimension, 6 hazelnuts less.

Věra Jourová: We want people to see a fair Europe in their shopping cart. It is our common duty to facilitate this process. And yes, I am a mother, a grandmother, and I get very upset by poor quality foods, especially when it comes to children.

I have decided to use consumer laws as a major tool for combating unfair commercial practices. I have mobilized several departments in the commission and we offer solutions - specific and ready for immediate application in the food sector as a first priority.

Jourova added that not only would a ban on the double standard of food be introduced but also serious fines would be introduced for companies that allow themselves to sell different quality goods under the same brand.