Tighter inspections are needed around the verification of protected foods in Ireland under EU law, a European Commission audit has found.
The audit looked at the control systems in place for the EU quality schemes for Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG) of agricultural products.
It also looked at the traceability and labelling of products under these schemes. Ireland has registered three PDOs and four PGIs. Ireland has no TSGs.
“Although inspections observed were overall adequate, limited or inaccurate guidance is given to inspectors to ensure the verification of all elements of the product specifications.
“This together with the lack of an official sampling plan means that an effective verification of compliance of all products which are marketed with reference to the protected names cannot be guaranteed,” the auditors' report reads.
Loose products
Although official controls are regularly carried out to verify the use of protected names on the market, auditors established “they are not effective in the case of products sold loose, and there is no follow-up on foodstuffs and spirit drinks originating from other member states to confirm that they are produced in line with the relevant product specifications or technical files”.
Samples
There is a system in place whereby producers and processors of PDO/PGI/TSG agricultural products and foodstuffs are subject to official controls. However, the report says this system does not include the taking of samples to verify compliance of the products with the corresponding specifications.
Recommendations
Commission auditors have recommended that the Department of Agriculture ensure that official controls carried out to verify compliance with such products take place before new operators place the products on the market.
they also recommended that official controls include the verification of every element of the product specification and technical files based on adequate documented procedures, and in particular that:
Samples are taken for analysis where necessary.Checks of records kept by operators are representative.Controls at operators verify adequate use of the protected names and the EU logos; as required by Article 8.1 of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008.Department response
In response, the Department has said that it will update national legislation to include a requirement for verification checks, with this expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2020.
It also said it would update its official procedures and processes to include the verification of new producers, prior to product being placed on the market.
The audit was carried out between 2 and 10 September 2019.
Auditors met with the Department of Agriculture, a supermarket, a medium-sized retailer and a producer with two PDOs and one with one a PGI.
What is a PGI/PDO/TSG?
A Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) emphasises the relationship between the specific geographic region and the name of the product – for example the Blaa in Waterford is a PGI as is Sneem black pudding.
A Product of Designated Origin (PDO) must be completely associated with the region or area it refers to in every step of its production – for example Oriel sea salt from Co Louth and Imokilly Regato, a type of cheese from Co Cork.
A Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) can be given to a product with special characteristics but is not necessarily associated with a region. There are none in Ireland, but an example on the continent is sheep’s haymilk from Austria.
Read more
What does protected geographical indication mean?
Proof is in the Sneem black pudding!
Tighter inspections are needed around the verification of protected foods in Ireland under EU law, a European Commission audit has found.
The audit looked at the control systems in place for the EU quality schemes for Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG) of agricultural products.
It also looked at the traceability and labelling of products under these schemes. Ireland has registered three PDOs and four PGIs. Ireland has no TSGs.
“Although inspections observed were overall adequate, limited or inaccurate guidance is given to inspectors to ensure the verification of all elements of the product specifications.
“This together with the lack of an official sampling plan means that an effective verification of compliance of all products which are marketed with reference to the protected names cannot be guaranteed,” the auditors' report reads.
Loose products
Although official controls are regularly carried out to verify the use of protected names on the market, auditors established “they are not effective in the case of products sold loose, and there is no follow-up on foodstuffs and spirit drinks originating from other member states to confirm that they are produced in line with the relevant product specifications or technical files”.
Samples
There is a system in place whereby producers and processors of PDO/PGI/TSG agricultural products and foodstuffs are subject to official controls. However, the report says this system does not include the taking of samples to verify compliance of the products with the corresponding specifications.
Recommendations
Commission auditors have recommended that the Department of Agriculture ensure that official controls carried out to verify compliance with such products take place before new operators place the products on the market.
they also recommended that official controls include the verification of every element of the product specification and technical files based on adequate documented procedures, and in particular that:
Samples are taken for analysis where necessary.Checks of records kept by operators are representative.Controls at operators verify adequate use of the protected names and the EU logos; as required by Article 8.1 of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and Article 22 of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008.Department response
In response, the Department has said that it will update national legislation to include a requirement for verification checks, with this expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2020.
It also said it would update its official procedures and processes to include the verification of new producers, prior to product being placed on the market.
The audit was carried out between 2 and 10 September 2019.
Auditors met with the Department of Agriculture, a supermarket, a medium-sized retailer and a producer with two PDOs and one with one a PGI.
What is a PGI/PDO/TSG?
A Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) emphasises the relationship between the specific geographic region and the name of the product – for example the Blaa in Waterford is a PGI as is Sneem black pudding.
A Product of Designated Origin (PDO) must be completely associated with the region or area it refers to in every step of its production – for example Oriel sea salt from Co Louth and Imokilly Regato, a type of cheese from Co Cork.
A Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) can be given to a product with special characteristics but is not necessarily associated with a region. There are none in Ireland, but an example on the continent is sheep’s haymilk from Austria.
Read more
What does protected geographical indication mean?
Proof is in the Sneem black pudding!
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