Your Say

19/01/2004
Welsh breakfast in Brussels shows we can work together
Western Mail

THIS WEEK the focus is well and truly on Welsh food. The FUW's Welsh breakfast initiative has been extended this year from its traditional visits to the National Assembly and the Palace of Westminster and on Thursday moves on to Brussels.

I am pleased to have been involved in setting up the first Welsh breakfast event at the European Parliament and that all Welsh Euro-MPs have agreed to attend. This is one more important area where it is right that we should put aside our political differences and work together in the interests of Welsh farming and food production.

And I am also delighted that Agriculture Commissioner Frans Fischler has accepted my invitation to be guest of honour at the event. I know that he is keen to help Welsh farming to build on the excellent reputation we have for the quality of our Welsh food. That's why he announced special protection for the Welsh Beef and Welsh Lamb designation on his visit to the Royal Welsh Show last year.

As we walked the showground together last July, Commissioner Fischler could not contain his enthusiasm. He told me the Royal Welsh was the most impressive agricultural show he had ever visited. And he was sure that the Show was an essential national and international showcase for the excellence of Welsh food.

All this is a recognition of the importance to consumers of identifying local and regional origin in the marketing of products.

That's why it was so astonishing to learn this week that some pen-pushers deep in the labyrinth of the European Commission have proposed an over-arching "Made in the EU" labelling system which would take precedence over all other product labels. True, this scheme is currently limited to manufactured goods, but the whole thing flies in the face of consumer interest.

The bureaucrats' interest is solely in spreading the theme of EU harmonisation across Europe. My own guess is that this proposal will disappear pretty quick. But this is a welcome reminder of the need for vigilance over what the EU should or should not do.

Thursday's Welsh breakfast shows Welsh farmers, processors and politicians and the European Commission at our best in making it easier for producers to serve the consumer interest and market their products. It is an example of Wales and Europe working successfully together. That needs to remain our focus.

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