SPRING SESSION
STANDING COMMITTEE
Strasbourg, 1st March CPR (12) 5
PART 2
Regional typical products faced with globalisation 12
Rapporteur: Susan BOLAM, United Kingdom,
Chamber of Regions, Political Group: EPP/CD
------------
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Following the colloquy on Regional Rural Produce in the Era of Globalisation, held in Versailles on 6 June 2003, the Congress’s Culture and Education Committee of the Chamber of Regions decided, at its meeting on 15 October 2003 (and confirmed on 30 September 2004 in Saratov), to draft a report on typical regional products in the face of globalisation taking into account the discussions and results of the conference on “Promoting typical regional food in the face of globalisation: Educating the palate”, held in Milan on 12 and 13 November 2004. For this purpose, the Committee appointed Mr Luciano VALAGUZZA (Italy, NR, R) as rapporteur.
Mr David Lienas Toro, the Executive Chef of ‘’Pòsit Group’’, has also contributed to the content of this report. In addition, the Committee, at its meeting in Strasbourg on 7 April 2005, agreed to appoint Ms Sue BOLAM (United Kingdom, EPP/CD, R) as co-rapporteur of the report, given that Mr Valaguzza’s term of office ended before the presentation of the report to the Committee.
Since ancient times, each territory has developed its own specialities, depending on the available resources, local topography and climate. Throughout the 20th century, and as a result of globalisation, much of this food began to be produced on a large scale. Production techniques have been standardised, and mass production, using new techniques and industrial methods, have led to greater profitability. This results in a product of quality, but a uniform product, with no identity. What differentiates it from any other product has been lost.
Regional products are those that continue to be produced using the traditional techniques that have been in use for centuries. Their producers clearly take account of technological advances and apply them in the production process, but nonetheless continue to ensure that the product is obtained primarily by traditional methods.
A regional product has an identity all of its own. For example, a vegetable which is specific to a particular area cannot be found anywhere else because only in that specific area do the trees and plants find the ideal soil and the ideal climate to grow. Regional products also include those that, being unique and produced in a given area, have been manufactured from one or more food products (cheese, for example).
What makes the difference between traditional and mass-produced food products is not that the product is more attractive or the scale of production, but the conservation of a cultural identity, the lifestyle associated with regional products, and the habits and traditions that enrich the diversity of our culture.
2. Monitoring food safety
In recent decades, citizens have become increasingly more concerned about the quality and safety of food. Episodes like the recent cases of bird ‘flu, the BSE outbreak (‘mad cow disease’) and contamination by dioxins have had a major impact in all European countries and have added to this concern. People are now demanding higher quality products which comply with the strictest health standards. Consumers now want an authentic product and wish to rediscover the flavours they remember from their childhood. This is why they value products that stimulate their taste buds. However, at the same time, they want to be sure that what they are eating is healthy or, at least, to know whether it has any health implications.
Clearly, as a result of the suppression of borders, the vast area formed by the common market of the European Union (EU) countries makes it easier for any health problem to spread quickly.
Accordingly, the EU has taken steps to monitor each phase of food production and to make sure that all products are manufactured under the most hygienic conditions.
The Food and Veterinary Office, with its headquarters in Dublin, is responsible for safety and quality standards during the manufacture of all kinds of food, from the fields to the table, thus monitoring all aspects of food production.
But monitoring food safety standards is not the only course of action to improve the quality of food products. The EU also has an active I&D program that finances investigation projects to improve the nutritive value and health effects of food and to highlight the objective characteristics of traditional products.
Food investigation is helping to improve the health and well-being of European consumers. Europe is acting now in different ways to protect its population: some authorities control incoming products and have strict rules on allowing them to enter. They also track the origin of these incoming products and have strict border controls to prevent the entry of products of uncertain origin or from countries where food safety controls are unsatisfactory. It goes without saying that they turn back any food they suspect of being contaminated.
European authorities are now concerned about pesticides used in farming and other products to obtain larger, more uniformly-shaped produce. These substances which began to be used in the post-war period following the discovery of DDT by P. Müller have proved fatal not only for insects but also for human beings. As a result of evaporation and application methods they can contaminate water, soil and the atmosphere. They can also pollute food as they have a low level of biodegradability. Accordingly, pesticides can pass through the whole food chain. Consequently, they can be found in smaller quantities in vegetables, and in higher levels in animals, especially those that eat other animals (such as humans).
As an alternative to using pesticides, there has been a shift from the use of chemicals to organic farming, involving other bio-environmental control techniques such as organic pesticides, biotechnology, chemical sterilisation and radiation of insects.
The other major problem in recent years is related to animals. The prime example of this is the BSE problem, but unfortunately there are many other related diseases. While the origin of bird ‘flu is still not clear, it has been shown that “mad-cow disease” was caused by a change of animal feed: non-vegetal feed was given to cows (and to other animals). Today, better standards are in place to prevent a recurrence of cases like BSE.
All the same, the European authorities must remain vigilant because certain food-related diseases can still appear, and some of them can reach Europe despite strict border controls. This is what has happened with bird ‘flu, caused by migratory birds passing through Europe on their way to hotter regions.
3.Quality over quantity
Health control has to start from the very beginning of the production chain; in other words, in cattle farms, in the fields and at the ports. Through policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy, in recent years the EU has encouraged producers to improve the quality of their products.
Initially, European policies functioned in a way that rewarded production. For instance, the CAP was geared to maintaining prices, and farmers were ensured a certain amount of income for selling their products. The problem was that such an approach meant that farmers would try to produce as much as possible in order to maximise their income. The surplus then invaded the market, leading to a fall in prices. At the same time, this mass production resulted in less tasty food.
Franz Fischler, European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, said at the Barcelona International Fair of Food and Drinks that the quality of food was one of the main means of protecting consumers and guaranteeing food safety. He referred in particular to EU traditional produce and also to the increased demand for such products, produced using traditional methods.
Today, Europe offers incentives to those farmers who place a greater emphasis on quality over quantity: no surplus is bought and there is no maintaining of prices. In addition, farmers receive more financial help if they do not exceed a certain quota. In this way, producers adapt to the market and seek to satisfy the new demand, with its emphasis on quality, variety and, above all, product authenticity. This explains the increasing demand for regional products: they are generally recognisable because of their high quality standards, because they are unique and because there is a great variety. Take wine, for instance; in most cases it is a product that is specific to a particular region, but there are many different kinds. There is the Hungarian Tokaj, or Riesling, which is produced both in Germany and Alsace and copied all over the world.
Many European countries have also started a range of measures to improve the food that animals eat. This in turn guarantees better health control and higher quality products.
These steps have improved (or at least, maintained) the income derived by farmers: consumers are willing to pay more for better products. Rural development plans in Europe also affect the standard of living of farmers and cattle breeders: they are given financial help in order to improve the quality of their products but, at the same time, they are also being helped with marketing, which allows them to have bigger margins on their prices. Funds are also set aside to open the market for specific products, especially those such as regional products, much appreciated by consumers for their high quality.
When it comes to taste, European countries make use of a policy based on reliability (controlled, safe products) and diversity: each European country has different production traditions and that is why products are not all manufactured in the same way. It also explains the diversity of products that have the same name but are produced using different methods. There is mutual recognition of the products between the countries, even though they have been produced slightly differently. Emmental cheese, for instance, illustrates this perfectly: it originated in Switzerland, but it is also produced in France and Germany. Because of the EU labelling system, both French and German producers can manufacture this kind of cheese. Nevertheless, the origin must be clear on the label. Consumers will then be able to buy whatever products they wish, knowing that although it is the same product, there are differences in taste between the French, German and Swiss versions.
Labelling plays a key role in the marketing of products. It allows the consumer to identify the product and to know, in the case of a unique product, that that is what they are buying. The EU has stepped up negotiations with the World Trade Organisation in order to further protect regional quality products. In 2003 the EU approved a list of 41 quality regional products from the EU, the names of which have to be registered.
This list contains European products of proven quality with designations of origin that have been misused. Examples are Roquefort cheese, Parma ham and Rioja wines. In order to prevent any further misuse of other Geographical Indications, the EU is negotiating drawing up a GI multilateral register with other countries and extending the protection of wines and spirits to other products.
Apart from production standards for wines and spirits, which are very strict and guarantee that the products really come from the areas specified on the labels, there is also strict control on meat, especially beef. This control is not only health-related. There is a range of technical criteria that must be met by each producer in order to qualify for public subsidies and to guarantee an authentic product. The same happens with cereals, fruit and vegetables that cannot be traded if they do not comply with certain conditions. Such conditions are not only hygiene-related, but also concern shape and quality.
In the case of regional products, since the 1990s some European countries have been taking steps to assist producers of quality products. These bring benefits for consumers, who receive food of good taste, shape and texture that has complied with strict health standards. The aim of these measures is to protect those products that are originally from a specific area or manufactured with traditional methods.
Three quality labels have been created3:
- Protected Designation Origin (PDO): covers the term used to describe foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.
- Protected Geographical Indication (PGI): the geographical link must occur in at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation. In addition, products must have a good reputation in order to qualify.
- Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG): does not refer to the origin but highlights the traditional nature of the product, either in the composition or means of production. This last label includes more than 650 brands, including well-known products such as Scottish beef, Spanish cured ham, some beers or cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano or Roquefort. Moreover, countries like France, with a long tradition of promoting and protecting their culinary heritage and food products, have labels of their own that set out quality standards. Only traditional products (with a historical record of a minimum of 25 years) can be awarded the relevant label.
In addition, there is a list of European products classified as PDO/ PGI 4 as well as TSG5 :
There is another regulation6 that concerns the organic production of agricultural products and foodstuffs. It defines and protects the name of a method of production. Organic products can also be protected as PDO, PGI and TSG and marketed under these labels, provided they fulfil the requirements and are registered.
Consumer awareness of food safety issues and environmental concerns has contributed to the growth in organic farming over the last few years in Europe. This production represented only around 3% of the total EU utilised agricultural area in 2000, and this percentage has been growing ever since: organic farming has developed into one of the most dynamic agricultural sectors in the EU. The organic farm sector grew by about 25% a year between 1993 and 1998 and, since 1998, is estimated to have grown by around 30% a year. However, nowadays some member states seem to have reached a plateau.
Organic farming has to be understood as part of a sustainable farming system and a viable alternative to the more traditional approaches to agriculture. Since the EU rules on organic farming came into force in 1992, tens of thousands of farms have been converted to this system, as a result of increased consumer awareness of, and demand for, organically grown products.
The sustainability of both agriculture and the environment is a key policy objective of today's common agricultural policy: 'Sustainable development must encompass food production alongside conservation of finite resources and protection of the natural environment so that the needs of people living today can be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.'
This objective requires farmers to consider the effect that their activities will have on the future of agriculture and how the systems they employ shape the environment. As a consequence, farmers, consumers and policy makers have shown a renewed interest in organic farming.
The use of these labels on products is optional: producers who want to protect their products under PDO, PGI or TSG must submit an application defining the product according to precise specifications in regulation no. 2081/92.
The application should be sent to the relevant national authority:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/foodqual/protec/national/index_en.htm) where it is processed and eventually forwarded to the EU Commission. At European level the application undergoes a number of control procedures. Once product names are protected they are listed in the register of Protected Designations of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications. This registration gives producers an exclusive right to use the registered name. However, this right is not only for the producers who made the application, but for any producer who fulfils all the requirements specified in the application.
In recent years there has been a significant increase in demand for organic products: ie no herbicides, no pesticides or animal medicines often used in traditional agriculture which, as pointed out above, represent a real danger for the soil and aquifers. In the case of animals, they must be fed with traditional feed: grass for cows and lamb; seeds for poultry. There are, however, still problems as regards organic fish in fish-farms.
Such products now account for up to 40% of annual sales and this sector is constantly increasing in importance in the EU market as a whole. Furthermore, these products help with environmental protection because organic farming production is less harmful for the environment and foodstuffs than other farming methods.
Many of the products identified with organic farming are regional products. Species and varieties are being rediscovered and, though output may be lower, both taste and texture are more intense. This has been happening in France and Spain, where a number of vegetable varieties that grow poorly have been reintroduced. These vegetables have been marketed for some years as mini or baby varieties. In most cases production is organic and some delicious and highly-prized varieties have been rediscovered. Because of their particular nature, they can be sold at a higher price than the same vegetables of normal size; this ensures that the farms can operate without making a loss. Local environmental and health action plans and Local Agenda 21 plans are being implemented throughout Europe. There are also local food policies to promote sustainable food production. Growing, trading and consuming this food is not only good for local economies, but also promotes a more sustainable environment and visibly decreases the risk of catching serious disease.
The European authorities are also concerned about the contamination of soil by pig slurry, and the problems that this may cause in ground water. The pollution could also spill over to nearby farms. For this reason many European countries have launched several ambitious programs to treat this waste in order to protect both agriculture and our health.
5. Fast food versus slow (traditional) food
In a broad sense fast food has always existed as there have always been dishes prepared immediately to be eaten. In fact, a doner kebab (given that the meat is pre-roasted) and a cheese sandwich are examples of “traditional” fast food. Nowadays the problem is that the term fast food is associated not just with a simple preparation that can be cooked and eaten in a short time, but with American fast food.
American fast food is codified according to North American cultural patterns, and it changes food preferences leading ultimately to uniformity.
The artist Andy Warhol once said that “the only interesting thing in any city in the world is finding that there is a McDonald’s in it”. Obviously he was a fan of American fast food. But many people do not think like him. To them, travelling to a new city means wanting to live a new experience, discover new places, and of course, eating different food.
American fast food is not only a type of sandwich, salad or pizza, it is also a way of life. That is one of the reasons why this kind of food is so widely accepted in the world. Other reasons included the sweet flavours, the format of the food and the décor of the places that serve it, all of which take customers back to their childhood. Plus the fact that it is cheap food. But is it really cheap? Note that in Europe we have a wide experience of fast food, though we may not realise it as we have never called it that (for instance, we have the British fish and chips). “European fast food” of this kind is not expensive at all. We can eat steamed shrimps and herrings in the Netherlands for very little. In many European Mediterranean countries there are a variety of cheap sandwiches with vegetables, cheese, sausages, ham or fish.
The problem with “European fast food” is that its value has decreased in recent decades. However, not irreversibly, as people have started appreciating this type of food again.
There are mainly two reasons for this change. The first is related to health: it has been widely proven that North American fast food in general is not healthy. People are now more attentive to their needs, and they try to find alternatives in order to have more nutritious food. This is one of the reasons why fast food restaurants are now diversifying from their traditional selection of dishes, offering a variety of new products, many of which are in tune with the Mediterranean diet which has been widely proven to be healthy.
The second reason is that people now want “authentic” food. Consequently they prefer to eat a sandwich with local sausage, cheese, etc or a beignet or crêpe rather than a hamburger. Because of these changes, local food now accounts for a significant proportion of food eaten in Europe. Obviously, these new preferences also promote traditional dishes from countries other than in Europe, such as food from the Lebanon, India, Pakistan or Morocco which also have preparations than can be considered fast food.
Traditional food is not always “slow food”, but the major American fast food companies have developed an effective business strategy that makes people, especially young people, think that their food is the only one that is fast. In fact, they sell the idea that their products are cheap, fancy, and are ready to eat in a short period of time. It is our role to change that view and promote our own food, with particular emphasis on local food, the kind that really makes a difference.
6. Traditional food – an integral part of the local heritage
Each country has several products that are produced there alone and cannot be found anywhere else. This is what is meant by local food. Some of these products have become world-renowned. Furthermore, in cases where there is a very well known product from a region or a country, people automatically associate it with the country. Often a particular product cannot be thought of without also bringing to mind the country or the city with which it is identified. Examples are French cheeses such as Roquefort, Brie and Camembert, French Cognac, Scotch whisky or Scottish salmon, Norwegian salmon, Greek yoghurt and Feta cheese, Italian Mozzarella, Spanish Serrano Ham and Spanish red wines, German and Austrian sausages, Belgian chocolates, Hungarian Tokaj etc.
Those products are well known all over the world, and often epitomise a particular country, region or city. These regional products represent top quality and they are the ones people immediately think of when considering the best type of a particular product. To give an example, if we are talking about blue cheese, we think of Roquefort for France, Gorgonzola for Italy, and Stilton for the United Kingdom. This does not mean that other European countries do not have good blue cheeses. It is just that these are the ones that immediately spring to mind because of their high quality and renown. Each of these products is a speciality that represents a region throughout the world.
In Europe there are many excellent regional products although not all of them are that well known. Thinking again of blue cheese, we note that Spain has Cabrales cheese, Germany has Montagnolo, while Denmark produces Mycella, and Ireland gives us Cashel Irish Blue. It is the task of the European authorities to publicise these excellent and authentic regional products all over the world.
Local food can become a seal of quality for a region or a country. It is part of the culture and history of a place, and it has to be preserved to in order to maintain our European cultural diversity.
7. Challenges of globalisation
· European versus American products
Europe and North America have developed impressive techniques to produce better products, and raise better animals. They have many farms and businesses providing customers with the best products. As a result, they are able to offer excellent local food of consistently high quality.
There are certain products that have been produced primarily in Europe for centuries. They are part and parcel of European culture. Many of them are local specialities and are protected by law. French Champagne is one of them.
People from other countries in Europe and from North America have acknowledged the excellence of champagne and are aware that it is much appreciated by consumers. So they have found places like California which have a similar climate and have started producing the same drink. However, they cannot call it Champagne as this name is exclusive to the French product. All they can say is that it has been produced following the Champagnoise method. This is to protect the quality of the original French product. To give an example, Spain produces Cava, which is a kind of Champagne. There are some very good Cavas that can hold their own with Champagne, but many of them cannot be compared with the French original. One of the reasons for this is that often Cava is marketed within three years of production. French Champagne, on the other hand, must age for at least three years before it can be sold.
As mentioned above, Europe has stepped up negotiations with the WTO (World Trade Organisation) in order to reinforce the protection of regional quality products and to label them only with the original name. This means that only Italian Parma Ham can be labelled using this name. The ham that Canada produces which is very similar and which is currently labelled as Parma Ham will no longer be able to be given that name.
· Eating out - a new way of life
Nowadays most people do not have a great deal of time on their hands and particularly at midday are unable to eat at home. While some people bring homemade food to their places of work, or just eat a sandwich, the majority go to restaurants.
Eating out is expensive and could entail health problems for consumers if they choose a restaurant that is not too concerned about healthy food (eg their choice of fat used for cooking) or if they choose to eat food that is not nutritious.
Restaurants are now more attuned to the needs of their customers. They obviously place an emphasis on taste, but they also try to cook dishes that are “healthy”. They try as well to serve a wide variety of food so people can have a balanced diet.
American fast food is losing ground to traditional cuisine. The Mediterranean diet and local foods are gaining in popularity. People like eating something different now and again, but in general they want to eat what their bodies and minds are used to. And this means the food they used to eat in their childhood. Accordingly, local food is now becoming much more important.
· Is it expensive to eat “traditional” food?
Obviously some of the products that are eaten as traditional food are expensive. But there are many that are not. To find the best products people do not have to choose the most expensive ones. It is preferable to look for products that are produced locally, and to buy them in season when they are at their best.
People are aware that markets must be globalised, but food has also to be localised. Any product can be bought almost anywhere in the world, but the best products are usually the ones that people can find close to home. Small producers of local food often cannot export their products and they have to sell them in local markets. Such products are of high quality and often cheaper than others that are imported.
· Traditional and modern cuisine
Modern cuisine does not overcook food. It tries to create new and intense flavours, and to give people new sensations such as contrasting textures and flavours (sweet/savoury). Many modern chefs now cook what is termed “fusion food”: they mix ingredients and recipes from different countries.
One of the top chefs of today is Ferran Adrià. He is the creator of “deconstructed dishes”. He has found new textures for ingredients and dishes we were previously used to eating in a particular way only. One example is his “air of carrot” – carrot juice mixed in a way that produces a lot of bubbles. Ferran Adrià serves these carrot-flavoured bubbles to his customers.
Some people think such cuisine is successful simply because it is introducing something totally new, but in reality at the heart of its success lie the basic ingredients: most top modern chefs use quality products. They want to offer something different, and in many cases they buy local food, primarily food that is unfamiliar to the majority. They act as catalysts for the small producers of high quality local produce, and they broaden the horizons of their own customers by bringing about a rediscovery of ingredients that people had been using for centuries – ingredients belonging to our culture and history, which had somehow been forgotten.
8. Regional products and the restaurant sector
In recent years restaurants in Europe have seen a change in customer profile. Today, the average consumer has a higher income, has travelled widely, has his or her own point of view, and expects higher quality products. Both tourists and local customers are opting for top quality service.
The quality of restaurant services is becoming increasingly more important. People do not want just to eat food, they also want this food to be healthy, to be of high quality and to be cooked and served in the right way.
For this reason, many new chefs look for product authenticity. They want to get back to traditional flavours, flavours that gave their grandparents so much pleasure and delight. It is natural for them to rely on regional food producers because the products they offer are unique and of high quality.
Paradoxically, the most prized traditional regional foods that were long a part of our history and culture nowadays remain unknown to most people. And what is really important is that these products are part of the history of the different countries and, therefore, are part of their cultural identity. Food is clearly part of our national culture and identity.
Restaurateurs are in contact with specialised providers and can obtain products that are difficult to find. However, the ordinary consumer finds it hard to locate them, or only at a very high price. We are therefore faced with the paradox that an Austrian citizen may find it extremely difficult to purchase a whole range of European regional products, while a decent restaurant in the same city could offer a starter of tasty Scottish or Norwegian salmon, French Belon or Galician oysters, then German beef, all accompanied by French or Spanish wine, and ending up with Greek, Italian or French cheese and Belgian chocolate.
Some EU regions have also focused on food as a means of attracting tourists. Some people will travel just to get to know the products of a region, and there are even several gastronomic routes highlighting the cultural diversity that exists in Europe.
For centuries Europe has led the world in many respects. Today, the American way of life, globalisation, and the desire to find new flavours and ingredients to cook have relegated Europe, its food and its cuisine to a less important role. European restaurants are still considered to be the best in the world, but the best restaurants have also started using new products in their kitchens in pursuit of “fusion cuisine”.
Instead of using Oriental, African and American food, Europeans should rely on their own culinary heritage. Europe should protect and promote age-old products. As these are unfamiliar to most people yet, for the most part, are of excellent quality, they can satisfy people’s desire to discover something new and different. Europe must take a stand against globalised and standardised products by promoting its regional and high quality products.
Europe must reward quality over quantity, and should promote the use of labels throughout the continent, thereby enabling consumers to recognise the best products. This would also be a useful way of familiarising people with different European regions, in terms not only of geography, but also products, which are part of their culture.
To this end, Europe must provide producers with the necessary resources to improve their productivity not in terms of quantity but in terms of quality. More importantly, this will lead to increased food safety, healthier food, and help sustain traditional production methods.
Such measures will result in a wider range of products in our markets, improved quality, and probably better prices. Undoubtedly this will also have a positive effect on local economies. Lastly, greater familiarity with and awareness of regional food will enhance the culture of all Europeans.
- -