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The labeling law of June 10, 2020 prohibits the use of names for foods of plant origin commonly used to designate foods of animal origin. The implementing decree was published on June 22, 2022. However, the Council of State suspended its implementation after a review of the appeals filed.
Therefore, the Government worked on the elaboration of a new draft decree, taking into account the observations of the Council of State, which replaced the previous decree.
This new draft decree regulates the use of names traditionally designating foodstuffs of animal origin for the description, marketing, or promotion of vegetable protein-based foodstuffs manufactured and marketed in French territory. The foodstuffs covered by the draft decree are those incorporating vegetable proteins.
It establishes the list of terms whose use is prohibited for the designation of foodstuffs containing vegetable protein and the list of terms authorized for the designation of foodstuffs of animal origin that may contain vegetable protein, as well as the maximum proportion of vegetable protein that may be contained in foodstuffs for which these terms are used.
In addition, the draft text provides for penalties in case of infringement of its provisions, a three-month period of entry into force after its publication to give operators time to adapt their labeling, as well as the possibility of marketing food products manufactured or labeled before its entry into force until stocks are exhausted, and for a maximum of one year after its publication.
This draft decree was notified on August 23, 2023 to the European Commission under Directive (EU) No. 2015/1535 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and rules on information business services and under Regulation ( EU) No. 1169/2011 on consumer information on foodstuffs.
September 4, 2023/ Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty/ France.
https://agriculture.gouv.fr
