News

New EU regulation protects mountain products

30.01.2013

A new European Union regulation protecting mountain products entered into force this month.The regulation on agricultural product quality introduces the optional quality term 'mountain product' and recognizes the necessity of specific labeling.

In particular, the regulation states that the term 'mountain product' is can only be used to describe products intended for human consumption where both the raw materials and the feedstuffs for farm animals come essentially from mountain areas and in the case of processed products, the processing also takes place in mountain areas.

Regulation 1151/2012 was officially published on 14 December 2012 and entered into force on 3 January 2013. In article 31 it introduces the optional quality term "mountain product" and recognizes the necessity of specific labeling.

It can be downloaded in all European languages at http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/schemes/legislation/index_en.htm.

Photo: Flickr/angelocesare