§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications for bio yoghurt of the EU directive on yoghurt classification; and what representations she has received on the new arrangements. [145731]
§ Mr. BradshawI assume that the hon. Member refers to the provision in Commission proposal COM(2003)14 which would amend Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 relating to standards for organic production. The proposal is intended to restrict the labelling of food with the term 'bio' to food which complies with the organic standards. The Explanatory Memoranda submitted on this proposal explain our view that the proposal to amend Article 2 is unnecessarily restrictive but note that it commands widespread support among other member states. Representations on the proposal have been received from a number of interests, most recently from the Dairy Industry Association Ltd., the British Retail Consortium and the Provision Trade Federation.
I refer the hon. Member also to the reply given by the Secretary of State for Health on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 916W, in relation to the separate discussions on possible EU legislation on the composition and labelling of yogurt.