The European Commission has approved a new strategy to improve cancer prevention. Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, presented shocking data showing that cancer is the leading cause of death in the EU. Thus, she convinced the committee to proceed with the “Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan”. It involves changes in labels with a sort of “advertising” in products reported as carcinogenic, as happens with cigarettes.
This news has obviously ignited debate, especially among producers especially among producers in this segment.
The focus is mainly on red meats, cured meats, wine and spirits.
However, wine is not included among alcoholic beverages, in fact the vice president of the European Way of Life Commission Margaritis Schinas announced that
“the European Union has no intention of banning wine, nor of labeling it as a toxic substance, because it is part of the European lifestyle”.
The Commissioner for Health, however, responded that a proposal for mandatory labelling will be presented. List of ingredients and nutrient content on the label of alcoholic beverages will be applied by the end of 2022. Health warnings on labels should follow by the end of 2023.
Funds worth € 4 billion will also be allocated to support Member States in reformulating and implementing effective policies to reduce the promotion of unhealthy food and beverage products.
What will the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan actually entail?
While raising the alarm, Coldiretti joined the debate:
“the European Union wants to cancel funds for the promotion of meat, cured meats and wine even providing alarmist labels on bottles as for cigarette packets”
Alcoholic beverages, cured meats, red meats correspond to a large percentage of the Italian GDP.
A choice that affects products that are a symbol of Made in Italy.
The food and wine Made in Italy is rich in traditional specialties which need support to be known on the global market. Unfortunately, condemning their mere sporadic consumption, many of them are doomed to extinction.