EU-wide food labelling regulations
Outline agreements on the details were reached late Tuesday night by the European Parliament and the Council after 10 weeks of negotiation.
Among the points of contention were precise requirements for country of origin labelling (COOL), mandatory labelling of trans fats, allergen labelling, alcoholic beverages and original slaughter.
The details of the preliminary agreement have not been revealed. However, Sommer told FoodNavigator.com that the regulations would not over-burden businesses, whilst providing consumers with legible and understandable information.
She said that COOL was one of the sticking points adding: “The problem was not should it be done at all. It was always should it be done without an impact assessment or not.”
The agreement now is to do an impact assessment.
She added: “The agreement for trans fats is that the commission will survey the situation over Europe to check whether there is a need for harmonisation.”
Industry federation the CIAA had recently criticised MEP’s desire for mandatory labelling of trans fats on food and beverage products as "a step too far'"
The overall aim of the draft legislation is to modernize, simplify and clarify food labelling within the EU. The agreement still has some way to go as the Council needs to give the green light, but Parliament's negotiators hope to receive final confirmation by 22 June.
It will then need to be formally approved by Parliament in a plenary vote in July and by the Council.
Sommer said: “Consumers will be provided with a great deal more food information than previously. A so-called 'nutrition facts box' will be mandatory and there will be strict rules to prevent misleading information on foodstuffs.
“Imitates, such as artificial cheese, can be identified through an indication of the ingredient on the front of the packaging. Allergic substances ought to be recognised at first sight.”
She added that red tape for small and medium-sized producers that account for 80 per cent of the food industry would be reduced. Non pre-packaged food and handcrafted food would also be subject to a lighter regime.
And any labelling on the packaging will have to be legible.
The vote in plenary is scheduled for 5 July and the dossier will go into conciliation should Member States not carry the provisional agreement.
Sommer said that everybody wants to avoid the conciliation procedure on food labelling as “not every conciliation leads to a good outcome”.
She highlighted the collapse of talks reviewing the 1997 EU Novel Foods Regulation as an example.
However, she said: “If the outlined agreements can be endorsed by Member States and the political groups in Parliament, we will have a fair solution for all stakeholders.
“The consumer will get legible and understandable information on food products, while businesses will not be overburdened.
“It must be a feasible regulation that is realistic.”
(Theo foodqualitynews.com)
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Cooking Show will be one of the most engaging experiential highlights of Vietfish 2026. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, 2026, at Hall B1, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, the event will offer visitors a vibrant culinary space where Vietnamese seafood is showcased through its flavors, stories, and real-life culinary applications.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius exports reached USD 205 million in June 2026, up 5% compared with the same month in 2025. Cumulative export value for the first six months of the year totaled USD 1.1 billion, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Growth was primarily driven by strong demand from China and CPTPP markets, while exports to the United States and Brazil continued to decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn