EU legislation would require country of origin labeling for poultry, pig meat

New legislation on country of origin labeling for fresh poultry, pork and lamb is due to be voted on by the European Parliament in July.
Welfare charity Compassion in World Farming has welcomed the move but hopes that in the future, labeling will offer more information to help consumers identify welfare issues. The charity wants labels to detail not only place of birth but also where an animal was reared and slaughtered.
It says that detailed labeling would enable consumers to identify if animals have been transported live from one country to another, or if the animal was slaughtered without first being stunned and also if animals have been intensively reared.
The European Commission said that one year after the enforcement of the new legislation, it will examine whether country of origin labeling of meat should be extended to meat used as ingredients. One year after this, it will review whether the legislation should be extended to other types of meat. Legislation is already in place for beef, milk, milk used as an ingredients, unprocessed foods, single-ingredient products and ingredients that represent more than 50% of a food.