Regulations to be agreed today by the European Commission will ensure that by 2003 the life history of a piece of beef will be on the label of all beef sold in the EU.
The proposals are a joint initiative of the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr David Byrne, and the Farm Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler.
Mr Byrne said yesterday that the proposals would allow full trace-ability of cattle in the EU, minimising threats to human health.
The move is made possible by the introduction of a "passport" system for all cattle born after January 1st, 1998, which details the history of each animal from birth to the abattoir.
From the beginning of 2000 a system of compulsory labelling will replace the present voluntary system. It will require mention of the location and date of slaughter, a batch number, and the ideal minimum maturing period of the beef.
Such information should pose no problem for Irish producers, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday, as most of the necessary controls were already in place under the voluntary system.
From 2003, labels will also be required to contain information on the place of birth, fattening, slaughtering and de-boning. Where animals' life and slaughter occur in the one state, labels may indicate just that state's name.
Producers of minced beef, beef trimmings or cut beef will be required at least to indicate the state, region or de-boning halls from where the beef came.
