The European Commission (EC) recently initiated a debate and proposed to establish EU minimum regulations to promote eco-labelling schemes for fisheries products, such as tuna.
The labelling is to ensure consumers that products have been fished or manufactured with consideration towards environmental sustainability. The EC introduced the proposal to encourage this type of eco-labelling in Europe, a system that is already present in international markets such as in the case of tuna with the “dolphin safe†label, which was promoted by the
The EC offers country members several options; however EU Fishery Commissioner leans towards the regulation of only a few minimum requirements for the public or private entities interested in starting a voluntary eco-labelling program.
The proposal’s main objective is to inform buyers that the raw material of their purchased products were fished by using equipment that ensures the sustainability of oceans, or that such raw material has been manufactured and processed with techniques that do not have an impact on the environment.
The European Union remarks that there is a growing interest by environmental and non-governmental organisations, and supermarket chains, as well as interest by the public in food products associated with considerations towards environmental sustainability, as it is not always easy to establish how reliable some eco-labeling claims are.
According to EC sources, the application of eco-labelling could bring difficulties and become an obligation imposed for the markets, which is neither appropriate nor convenient at this moment. The EC suggests establishing minimum regulations for voluntary systems of eco-labelling.