All EU member states should have products of identical quality – Gerhards

RIGA – All EU member states should have products of identical quality, irrespective of the country they are sold, said Latvian Agricultural Minister Kaspars Gerhards (National Alliance) at the meeting of Visegrad, Baltic, Balkan and French agricultural ministers.

On May 9, Gerhards participated at the meeting of Ministers for Agriculture of Visegrad states, Baltic states, Balkan states and France, Dynamic Visegrad for Europe, in Slovakia, the city of Stara Lesna.

The minister voiced Latvia’s stance and discussed European Commission’s proposals and further steps in relation to dual food product quality and the necessity to work on EU-level methodology for food products.

“All EU member states should have products of identical quality, irrespective of the country they are sold. It is an absurd situation that today when modern technologies are available to produce identical products, these technologies are used for completely opposite goals,” the minister said, adding that ministers will continue work to develop legislation that will end this unfair practice.

The minister also signed a joint declaration by Visegrad group on Bioeast initiative The initiative aims at facilitating activities of EU-13 States in the area of science, using their own potential and the opportunities, offered by EU, improving implementation of scientific achievements and knowledge sharing in order to get involved in the European research and innovation programs, to facilitate bioeconomics, to set up a macro-regional network among Member States, facilitate a better experience sharing and promoting information on benefits of bioeconomics.