European veggie-burger ban defeated!

Last week, the European Parliament voted against a proposal that would have banned “meat names” for plant-based meat substitutes. This means that “veggie burgers”, “plant-based sausages” and “soy steaks” are allowed to keep their current names. The Dutch Party for the Animals strongly resisted this proposed ban together with various civil society organisations. Such a ban on “meat-resembling names” would be an obstacle for innovation and encouraging plant-based foods.

Anja Hazekamp, MEP for the Party for the Animals, makes a statement against unjust limitations on sustainable plant-based products.

Under pressure from the meat lobby, the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture decided in 2019 that names such as “veggie burger”, “plant-based sausage” and “soy steak” should be banned. The Party for the Animals is glad that this absurd proposal from the meat lobby has been defeated.

“It is important to give way to climate-friendly, environmentally sound alternatives to meat. To reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses and to stop the loss of biodiversity amongst both plants and animals, it is necessary to transition towards a more plant-based diet. The decision to keep veggie burgers on the menu, so to speak, is a bright spot in an otherwise disastrous European agricultural policy”, states Anja Hazekamp, MEP for the Party for the Animals.

The Party for the Animals is disappointed that the European Parliament voted in favour of regulations that further restrict the sale of plant-based alternatives to dairy, such as oat milk. Plant-based dairy alternatives that are described as having “a milk-like flavour” or are stated to “resemble milk” on its labels will no longer be permitted to be sold. It is now up to the member states of the European Union to reject this absurd proposal in a so-called trialogue with the European Commission and the European Parliament.