A symposium titled “The Situation in the Fish Processing Market in the EU and Individual Member States” was held at the European Parliament in Brussels at the initiative of PiS MEP Anna Fotyga. The main purpose of the event was to discuss the Commission’s delegated regulation regarding specific hygiene requirements for certain types of meat, fishery products, dairy products, and eggs. The meeting was attended by speakers from Poland as well as representatives of numerous associations and companies active at the European Union level.
Anna Fotyga noted that very intensive work is underway in the European Union, within the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy, on new secondary legislation. “Poland is a leader in the field of fish processing, especially salmon. The proposed changes, which are currently being considered by the European Parliament, introduce strict and rigorous standards, including limiting the “stiffening” period for fish to a maximum of 96 hours. Such a limit will have a significant impact on the EU’s fish processing sector, particularly in Poland, while simultaneously affecting competitiveness and favoring processors from the older member states,” the MEP emphasized. “The proposed legislation restricts the use of a technology adopted by Polish producers. It should be emphasized that these changes are not supported by any scientific analysis or an expert opinion from the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority),” she noted.
The MEP emphasized that at the level of the ENVI Committee (the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment), which has also been designated as the committee responsible for secondary legislation in this area, Polish MEPs, across political divides, tabled a reservation, which means that this act will still be subject to debate and a vote during the plenary session. “I am very pleased with this agreement,” Anna Fotyga emphasized.
“We all agree that hygiene requirements for food products should be high, but we should ensure that any changes are truly based on hygiene requirements, are fair to all production processes used in the EU, and do not risk excluding certain producers from the single market in favor of other participants,” said the event’s organizer, Anna Fotyga.
