355 MEPs voted for the proposal, 247 voted against. However, this does not mean that such provisions will enter into force. The adopted report is only a mandate for negotiations with the Member States within the EU Council on the final shape of the regulations.
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However, if the regulations come into force in their current form, terms such as “plant steak” or “vegetarian burger” will not be able to be used for products that do not contain meat.
In July, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal banning the use of the terms “beef”, “pork” and “chicken” for plant products.but it did not include, among others, “burger” and “sausage”. During the work in the EP, new terms were included in the negotiation proposal.
Proponents of the ban argue that these terms may mislead consumers and emphasize the need to protect the meat industry. Among those speaking against the project are: representatives of the sector of plant alternatives to meat products and organizations promoting vegetarianism; they claim that products clearly labeled as vegan or vegetarian do not mislead consumers.
PE attacks meatless products. Plant-based burger under threat
In 2024, the Court of Justice of the EU ruled that existing EU law was sufficient and Member States cannot independently ban the use of terms such as “vegan burger”.
The issue of banning the use of names such as “steak”, “sausage” and “hamburger” in relation to vegetarian and vegan products is part of a broader project that assumes “restoring the balance of power in the agri-food supply chain.”
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Changes in the applicable regulations of the common agricultural policy are intended to strengthen the position of farmers and contribute to the stabilization of their income.
MEPs supported mandatory written contracts for the supply of agricultural products, with the possibility of exemption from this requirement for certain sectors at the request of relevant industry organizations. The EP also proposed lowering the value threshold below which contracts will not be obligatory, from PLN 10,000 to PLN 10,000. euro up to 4 thousand euro.
The resolution also includes provisions on the labeling and marketing of agricultural products. The European Parliament wants labels such as “fair” or “fair” to be used only for products supporting the development of rural communities and agricultural organizations.
