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| Horsemeat scandal: EU ministers hold crisis talks | Horsemeat scandal: EU ministers hold crisis talks |
| (5 days later) | |
| Agriculture ministers from European countries linked to a widening scandal over mislabelled horsemeat have been meeting to discuss the crisis. | Agriculture ministers from European countries linked to a widening scandal over mislabelled horsemeat have been meeting to discuss the crisis. |
| The emergency talks in Brussels were seeking ways to restore consumer confidence in meat products. | The emergency talks in Brussels were seeking ways to restore consumer confidence in meat products. |
| It follows the discovery that meat sold in up to 16 European countries labelled as beef contained horsemeat. | It follows the discovery that meat sold in up to 16 European countries labelled as beef contained horsemeat. |
| On Tuesday, a slaughterhouse and a meat firm were raided by police in the UK probing alleged horsemeat mislabelling. | On Tuesday, a slaughterhouse and a meat firm were raided by police in the UK probing alleged horsemeat mislabelling. |
| UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said it was unacceptable if British firms were defrauding the public. | UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said it was unacceptable if British firms were defrauding the public. |
| The scandal has raised questions about the complexity of the food industry's supply chains across the 27-member EU bloc, with a number of supermarket chains withdrawing frozen beef meals. | The scandal has raised questions about the complexity of the food industry's supply chains across the 27-member EU bloc, with a number of supermarket chains withdrawing frozen beef meals. |
| The EU has not had compulsory "country of origin" labelling since 1981, when a European court struck down laws in member states that contravened the bloc's single market rules. | The EU has not had compulsory "country of origin" labelling since 1981, when a European court struck down laws in member states that contravened the bloc's single market rules. |
| But the events of recent weeks have shifted the debate to the issue of safety. How can a consumer make an informed choice if they have no idea where their food has come from? | But the events of recent weeks have shifted the debate to the issue of safety. How can a consumer make an informed choice if they have no idea where their food has come from? |
| The new law that will be outlined today would bring greater transparency - but many are opposed. German footwear companies say no-one would buy their high-end trainers if they knew they were largely produced in China. Food processors, like those who make frozen pizzas, argue many of their ingredients are sourced on a daily basis - changing the labelling accordingly every day would be complex and expensive. | The new law that will be outlined today would bring greater transparency - but many are opposed. German footwear companies say no-one would buy their high-end trainers if they knew they were largely produced in China. Food processors, like those who make frozen pizzas, argue many of their ingredients are sourced on a daily basis - changing the labelling accordingly every day would be complex and expensive. |
| And then there's the opposition of the World Trade Organization, which believes labelling makes little sense in our globalised supply chain. EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg says the rules of full traceability in the EU make our food safety system one of the safest in the world - but the facts speak differently. Pressure is building, irrespective of the opposition. | And then there's the opposition of the World Trade Organization, which believes labelling makes little sense in our globalised supply chain. EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg says the rules of full traceability in the EU make our food safety system one of the safest in the world - but the facts speak differently. Pressure is building, irrespective of the opposition. |
| In the UK, the supermarket giant Tesco, frozen food firm Findus and budget chain Aldi received horsemeat-tainted mince from Comigel, based in northeastern France. | In the UK, the supermarket giant Tesco, frozen food firm Findus and budget chain Aldi received horsemeat-tainted mince from Comigel, based in northeastern France. |
| Horsemeat has now been confirmed in some frozen lasagne on sale in France too. | Horsemeat has now been confirmed in some frozen lasagne on sale in France too. |
| In Germany, officials announced that a shipment of frozen lasagne suspected of containing horsemeat had arrived in the country. They were notified of the delivery by authorities in Luxembourg on Tuesday. | In Germany, officials announced that a shipment of frozen lasagne suspected of containing horsemeat had arrived in the country. They were notified of the delivery by authorities in Luxembourg on Tuesday. |
| Web of suppliers | Web of suppliers |
| Comigel denied wrongdoing, saying it had ordered the meat from Spanghero, a firm in southern France, via a Comigel subsidiary in Luxembourg - Tavola. | Comigel denied wrongdoing, saying it had ordered the meat from Spanghero, a firm in southern France, via a Comigel subsidiary in Luxembourg - Tavola. |
| The supply chain reportedly led back to traders in Cyprus and the Netherlands, then to abattoirs in Romania. | The supply chain reportedly led back to traders in Cyprus and the Netherlands, then to abattoirs in Romania. |
| There are now calls for more specific labelling on processed meat products in the EU, to show country of origin, as in the case of fresh meat. But the cost of doing that may trigger opposition from food manufacturers. | There are now calls for more specific labelling on processed meat products in the EU, to show country of origin, as in the case of fresh meat. But the cost of doing that may trigger opposition from food manufacturers. |
| Romania has denied claims that it was to blame for the mislabelling of horsemeat. | Romania has denied claims that it was to blame for the mislabelling of horsemeat. |
| "There are plants and companies in Romania exporting horsemeat but everything was according to the standards, and the source and the kind of meat was very clearly put as being horsemeat," Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta told the BBC's Newsnight programme. | "There are plants and companies in Romania exporting horsemeat but everything was according to the standards, and the source and the kind of meat was very clearly put as being horsemeat," Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta told the BBC's Newsnight programme. |
| "Somewhere in the network to the UK and other countries it seems that something illegal happened and we will fully co-operate to punish any Romanian company involved - but up to now it has not been like this," Mr Ponta added. | "Somewhere in the network to the UK and other countries it seems that something illegal happened and we will fully co-operate to punish any Romanian company involved - but up to now it has not been like this," Mr Ponta added. |
| The Kravys abattoir, named as the source of the Comigel meat, insists that its labelling is correct, with horsemeat and beef kept clearly apart. It exports horsemeat to Sweden, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Poland in its own trucks, the BBC's Nick Thorpe reports. | The Kravys abattoir, named as the source of the Comigel meat, insists that its labelling is correct, with horsemeat and beef kept clearly apart. It exports horsemeat to Sweden, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Poland in its own trucks, the BBC's Nick Thorpe reports. |
| The abattoir is in Botosani, northeastern Romania, and slaughters 3-4,000 horses annually. | The abattoir is in Botosani, northeastern Romania, and slaughters 3-4,000 horses annually. |
| Agriculture ministers from the UK, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania and Sweden took part in the talks in Brussels, along with European Commission officials. | Agriculture ministers from the UK, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania and Sweden took part in the talks in Brussels, along with European Commission officials. |
| Retailers in some countries so far unaffected by the scandal have removed some processed foods from sale, as a precaution. That has been done in Germany and Switzerland. | Retailers in some countries so far unaffected by the scandal have removed some processed foods from sale, as a precaution. That has been done in Germany and Switzerland. |
| In the UK the supermarket chain Waitrose removed its Essential British Frozen Meatballs, labelled as beef, after pork was found in two batches. | In the UK the supermarket chain Waitrose removed its Essential British Frozen Meatballs, labelled as beef, after pork was found in two batches. |
| The EU meeting is an opportunity to exchange ideas on where the problem might have originated and how to stop it in the future, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports. | The EU meeting is an opportunity to exchange ideas on where the problem might have originated and how to stop it in the future, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports. |
| Tighter restrictions for the labelling of processed food are now in the pipeline, our correspondent adds. | Tighter restrictions for the labelling of processed food are now in the pipeline, our correspondent adds. |
| "We are looking at whether (such labelling) is possible... but nothing is fixed yet," said a spokesman for EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Tonio Borg. | "We are looking at whether (such labelling) is possible... but nothing is fixed yet," said a spokesman for EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Tonio Borg. |
| There are growing concerns that that a drug used to treat horses - and which is harmful to humans - could be in the food chain. | There are growing concerns that that a drug used to treat horses - and which is harmful to humans - could be in the food chain. |
| But EU officials say public health is not at stake, and the problem is instead one of mislabelling. | But EU officials say public health is not at stake, and the problem is instead one of mislabelling. |
| They say it is up to national regulators to take action. | They say it is up to national regulators to take action. |
French food producer makes order | CLICKABLE 1. Comigel: Food processor3. Spanghero: Meat processor2. Tavola: Factory4. Subcontractor5. Trader6. Abattoirs7. Supermarkets French food producer makes order |
| Comigel HQ in Metz, north-east France, asks its subsidiary, Tavola in Luxembourg, to make food products - including beef lasagne for Findus. | Comigel HQ in Metz, north-east France, asks its subsidiary, Tavola in Luxembourg, to make food products - including beef lasagne for Findus. |
Factory orders meat | Factory orders meat |
| The Tavola factory orders the meat from Spanghero in the south of France. | The Tavola factory orders the meat from Spanghero in the south of France. |
Subcontractor used | Subcontractor used |
| Spanghero contacts a subcontractor in Cyprus to source the meat. | Spanghero contacts a subcontractor in Cyprus to source the meat. |
Subcontractor enlists trader | Subcontractor enlists trader |
| The Cypriot subcontractor in turn contacts a trader in the Netherlands. | The Cypriot subcontractor in turn contacts a trader in the Netherlands. |
Trader orders from Romania | Trader orders from Romania |
| The trader in the Netherlands places an order for meat with abattoirs in Romania. | The trader in the Netherlands places an order for meat with abattoirs in Romania. |
Abattoirs send meat to France | Abattoirs send meat to France |
| The meat from the abattoirs travels to Spanghero in France. However, Romania rejects claims that it was responsible for wrongly describing the horsemeat from its abattoirs as beef. Horsemeat is always labelled as such, they say. The Romanian authorities claim records show orders had been for horse carcass - easily distinguishable from beef. | The meat from the abattoirs travels to Spanghero in France. However, Romania rejects claims that it was responsible for wrongly describing the horsemeat from its abattoirs as beef. Horsemeat is always labelled as such, they say. The Romanian authorities claim records show orders had been for horse carcass - easily distinguishable from beef. |
Meat used to make products | Meat used to make products |
| Spanghero sends the meat to the Comigel subsidiary’s factory in Luxembourg before the finished products are supplied to Findus and retailers across Europe, including the UK. The president of Comigel says the company was unaware the meat was coming from abroad. | Spanghero sends the meat to the Comigel subsidiary’s factory in Luxembourg before the finished products are supplied to Findus and retailers across Europe, including the UK. The president of Comigel says the company was unaware the meat was coming from abroad. |
Horsemeat found in Ireland and UK | Horsemeat found in Ireland and UK |
| Tests by Irish authorities have found equine DNA in beefburgers made by firms in the Irish Republic and the UK. Traces of horsemeat have also been found in stored meat at another plant in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland. In mainland Britain, police and officials probing alleged horsemeat mislabelling have carried out raids at a slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire and a meat firm near Aberystwyth. Three men were later arrested on suspicion of offences under the Fraud Act.. | Tests by Irish authorities have found equine DNA in beefburgers made by firms in the Irish Republic and the UK. Traces of horsemeat have also been found in stored meat at another plant in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland. In mainland Britain, police and officials probing alleged horsemeat mislabelling have carried out raids at a slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire and a meat firm near Aberystwyth. Three men were later arrested on suspicion of offences under the Fraud Act.. |