24th FAO Regional Conference for Europe Montpellier, France, 5-7 May 2004

Agenda Item 4: “Food Safety and Quality in Europe: Aspects concerning in particular quality, nutritional balance, the importance of agricultural land and cultural heritage (”terroirs”)”

Statement by Mr. Leif Helge Kongshaug, State Secretary of Agriculture in Norway

Thank you Mr. Chairman,
The main goals of food production should be to ensure consumers safe food and food of good quality. In addition, the consumers should trust and feel the food to be safe. Previous European conferences have focused in great detail on different aspects of food safety. At this conference, focus has been shifted to quality aspects of food and food production.

Quality and food safety are closely linked. However, food safety should not be considered a quality parameter. Food safety is an underlying and basic principle, which must be ensured for the consumers by governments. As regards quality, there are many aspects and dimensions, and consumers will have a choice as regards what type of quality products they prefer. I am happy to see that these aspects now will be discussed in greater detail.

Mr. Chairman,
The Norwegian Parliament adopted in December 2003 a new Food Act which covers the food chain from “farm to fork”. In addition to ensuring safe food, one of the main purposes of the Act is to promote quality aspects along the whole production chain. The Act recognises that quality of food is closely connected to consumers’ health, and that a fair and honest labelling and presentation of the products is necessary to ensure the credibility of quality products. The Act states that consumer concerns are to be considered at all stages of the production chain.

There are several aspects related to quality of food which are not well defined. Such aspects include, among others, ethical quality, environmental quality, quality related to animal welfare, quality in relation to the use of both new and traditional techniques, aesthetic quality and quality in relation to the expectations of the consumers regarding sensory aspects. Certain quality aspects will be culturally or individually dependent. It is thus a challenge to establish objective criteria, in order to be able to measure the different quality parameters. Further research into the field should be encouraged to help defining these aspects.

Mr. Chairman,
Transparency is important in order to strengthen consumer confidence in food products. Many consumers have a holistic view on food and food production, and consider aspects such as animal welfare, biodiversity, and human rights to be quality aspects.

In accordance with the Norwegian action plan for consumer participation in food policy development, Consumer Panels have been established in seven counties in Norway. So far, the panels have discussed quality and labelling of meat, the consumers’ expectations of tomorrow’s food market and various food safety issues. The conclusions of the panels have been received by the Minister of Agriculture and will be considered in the development of food policy in Norway. Through the panels, we are able to gain new understanding of the consumer opinions in the field of food safety and quality.

Mr. Chairman,
In Norway, we see that consumers show a growing interest in the food they eat, including a focus on quality products and demand for more information about the products. Some wish to be able to choose food with a special geographical and cultural identity from local producers.

In response to this trend, the Norwegian government has adopted a regulation, with requirements for governmental protection of designations of origin, geographical indications and designations of specific traditional character for agricultural foodstuffs, including fish. Through protection of designations, consumers will have certainty that these products fulfil specific criteria as regards production area or production methods. The public authorities give a quality assurance that the production criteria are upheld. The aim is also to create opportunities for farmers and others to increase their economic output by developing new products and being protected against copies of their products on the market.

An important underlying factor for the creation of the Norwegian protection of designations has been the positive experiences from many EU countries. These experiences show that consumers appreciate these kinds of products, and that employment has been maintained and increased in rural areas. Therefore, it has been a conscious decision to make the Norwegian regulation very similar to the corresponding EU regulations. I see it as positive that there are similar systems in Europe for recognising these quality products. We can then gain from each other’s experiences and facilitate trade.

Anyhow, food safety standards cannot be reduced as a consequence of the consumers’ increased focus on a wide range of quality parameters. The government plays an important role in giving possibilities and adapting the legislation, in order to make it possible to preserve cultural and traditional specialities. In the work of creating local added values, it is important to maintain a balance, so that focus on added value does not interfere with requirements of safe food.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman