Statement: The EC is to ban the serving of rare meat in restaurants as it contains “too much bacteria”. This, together with other similar rules, is causing immense problems for restaurateurs and helping to drive out their customers.
Source: The Observer (19 September 1993)

Response: This is wholly untrue. The EC has no such plans, and furthermore its Food Hygiene Directive, which lays down the guidelines in this sphere, does not in any way apply to retailers (ie. butchers, restaurants and pubs) but only to those operations carried out before the point of sale.

Statement: New EC rules mean that village cricket tea is facing the axe, with
hygiene inspectors making random checks on clubs that provide food. Failure to conform might mean fines of up to £400.

Response: This is untrue. The EC has not recently implemented legislation that will do away with village cricket teas.

Background: All those providing food for sale or supply are required to comply with longstanding UK legislation on food hygiene (Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970). These regulations state that the food produced must be fit for human consumption and that the premises used to prepare it must meet reasonable hygiene standards.

The relevant draft EC Directive*, on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs, contains general, common-sense rules for food hygiene which are no more stringent than those which already exist in the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970. In fact, were this directive to be adopted, some of the more perscriptive measures such as the need to …

Myth: Our traditional pork chop is under threat due to the EC’s Red Meat Directive (91/497), which decrees that butchers have to remove kidneys for health inspection, therefore denying retailers the chance of selling the two together.

Response: This is untrue. Though it is quite clearly stated in this directive that kidneys must be inspected for hygiene purposes, it also specifies that the fat that surrounds them should be peeled away but in no way should the kidneys themselves be removed. If they are disloged then that is the fault of the slaughterhouse and in no way that of the Community directive.

Statement: The livelihood of small traders and their products, as well as national, regional and indeed local specialities (including UK sausages, shepherds pie and steak and kidney pie) will be threatened by EC Health Directives on the marketing of fresh meat, minced meat and meat products that have just come into force with the arrival of the Single Market. Are the Commission and national Governments simply structuring policy to the advantage of large commercial enterprises?

Response: Before 1.1.1993 the Community’s meat market was divided into national markets, which were governed by very different health rules. The coming into effect of the Single Market had therefore to be accompanied by the harmonisation of these rules and these could only be envisaged if high standards could be respected and maintained as regards hygiene and quality, methods of production and consumption, storage, packaging and transportation. This is the ultimate aim of the directives. It …

Statement: Street vendors and cafes will be faced with closure due to an EC food hygiene directive.

Response: There is a general food hygiene directive under discussion in the Community at the moment. The proposal is written in general terms, broadly similar to provisions already in UK law. Detailed guidance on hygiene will be left to specific industry codes of practice which will be drawn up in consultation with producers, retailers and consumers.  Such codes will be voluntary.

Statement: A Commission Directive will oblige fishermen to wear hair-nets when aboard their fishing boats.

Response: These claims are without foundation. There is a Council Directive, which will come into effect on 1.1.1993, aimed at ensuring that strict hygiene conditions are met in fish-processing plants and by all staff who process and package fish. It mentions that dockside staff who cut fish should wear suitable head cover to avoid hair contaminating the processed fish. This does not mean wearing a hair-net. Member States already take these hygiene precautions for the preparation and processing of other foodstuffs, such as meat in slaughter houses. This Directive does not, therefore, apply to fishermen aboard their fishing boats, with the logical exception of workers aboard factory-vessels, where processing and packaging of fish are carried out at sea (Council Directive 91/493 – Official Journal (OJ) L 268).