EU to Issue Guidelines on Discriminatory Food Distribution

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has
reportedly indicated the EU will issue guidelines discouraging
companies from selling apparently identical food products across
Europe but using inferior ingredients in the foods sold in the
eastern part of the continent. The Czech Republic’s agriculture
minister has asserted that his country is Europe’s “garbage can”
because companies produce their foods with cheaper ingredients
but sell them with identical branding. Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria,
Romania and Slovakia have also objected to the practice, which
multiple studies have purportedly confirmed. Juncker reportedly
said the EU would issue guidelines on how to interpret existing
rules in September 2017 and did not rule out further legislation to
combat the discrimination. See Reuters, July 27, 2017.

Issue 642