Meeting of the "Consumers' & Environment" Category

The "Consumer and environment" category met on Friday 14 February 2014 to discuss the issue of "Farmed fish: what impacts to the health of consumers and the environment?". Mr Don Staniford, Director of the NGO "Protect Wild Scotland" made a presentation on the environmental impact of salmon farming in toxic aquaculture farms and their impact on the health of consumers. The issue of the supervision of aquaculture and farming products in Europe was addressed by the Commission representatives: Mr Paolo Caricato and Mr Frans Verstraete (DG SANCO) and Mr Dario Dubolino and Ms. Isabel Sanz (DG MARE) who presented the regulations and projects managed by their respective DGs. Mr Ludwig Willnegger, representative of the EDEKA group, came to present various retail initiatives to improve fisheries and aquaculture products. The speakers then replied to many questions posed by the members as well as a number of outside guests. The meeting, co-hosted by Ms. Mader and Mr Cingal, was a great success given the presence of many external participants in the Committee.