COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2024/2127

of 24 July 2024

on the request for registration, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’

(notified under document C(2024) 5001)

(Only the Italian text is authentic)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the European citizens’ initiative (1), and in particular Article 6(2) and (3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) A request for registration of a European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’ was submitted to the Commission on 14 June 2024.

(2) The aims of the initiative as expressed by the organisers are to call for: (i) ‘European consumers to have access to transparent information about the food they buy’; (ii) the respect of the expectations of European consumers ‘in terms of high quality and sustainability standards’ of food; (iii) ‘the origin of all products entering the common market to be clearly and explicitly indicated’; and (iv) all products entering the common market to respect the same ‘environmental, health and labour standards applicable in the internal market, in order to protect consumer health and the planet’.

(3) An annex to the initiative provides further details on the subject matter, objectives and background to the initiative. It refers to criteria related to the acquisition of origin and to the place of origin in Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) and Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3). The organisers consider it necessary to comply ‘with the principle of reciprocity, to prohibit imports of food processed using substances and methods banned in Europe’ and to increase ‘border checks on food entering at European and national borders’. The organisers also state that the indication of origin requirement should be extended to all food products ‘in order to prevent fraud, protect public health and guarantee consumers’ right to information.’

(4) As regards the aims of the initiative, the Commission could submit a proposal for a legal act to ensure that European consumers have access to transparent information about the food that they purchase and which satisfies their expectations in terms of high quality and sustainability standards on the basis of Articles 114 and 169 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

(5) The Commission could also submit, based on Articles 114 and 207 TFEU, a proposal for a legal act to ensure explicit and clear indications of origin for all products entering the internal market, and to require them to respect the same environmental, health and labour standards that apply within the internal market to protect the health of consumers and the planet.

(6) For those reasons, the Commission considers that none of the parts of the initiative manifestly falls outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties.

(7) That conclusion does not affect the assessment of whether the concrete substantive conditions required for the Commission to act, including compliance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity and compatibility with fundamental rights, would be met in this case.

(8) The group of organisers has provided appropriate evidence that it fulfils the requirements laid down in Article 5(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 and has designated the contact persons in accordance with Article 5(3), first subparagraph, of that Regulation.

(9) The initiative is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious, nor is it manifestly contrary to the values of the Union as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union or to the rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(10) The initiative entitled ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’ should therefore be registered.

(11) The conclusion that the conditions for registration under Article 6(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788 are fulfilled does not imply that the Commission in any way confirms the factual correctness of the content of the initiative, which is the sole responsibility of the group of organisers of the initiative. The content of the initiative only expresses the views of the group of organisers, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Commission,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’ shall be registered.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the group of organisers of the citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’, represented by Ettore PRANDINI and Paolo DI STEFANO acting as contact persons.

Done at Brussels, 24 July 2024.

For the Commission

Věra JOUROVÁ

Vice-President

(1)

OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 55

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/788/oj

(2) Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 laying down the Union Customs Code (

OJ L 269, 10.10.2013, p. 1

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/952/oj

(3) Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (

OJ L 304, 22.11.2011, p. 18

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2024/2127/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)