Brussels, 06 June 2008

Brussels, 6 June 2008 - Euro Coop, the European Community of Consumer Co-operatives, welcomes the decision of the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (ScoFCAH) to reject the Commission's proposal to lift the existing ban on US imports of chicken rinsed in chemicals.

Commenting on the Commission's initial plans, Rodrigo Gouveia, Secretary General of Euro Coop stated that they would "seriously jeopardize European food safety and place commercial interests ahead of consumer rights".

He added that "scientific evidence shows that the US chicken treatment method is ineffective in eradicating bacteria such as Salmonella. The EU approach proves to be far more effective and much safer".

Euro Coop is not convinced by the set of "guarantees" put forward by the Commission to justify its proposal. Whether the idea of a temporary 2-year authorisation during which tests would be carried out or that to simply rinse treated chicken with drinking water both appear outrageous from a consumer safety perspective and thus are not acceptable.

Euro Coop supports the position of the Member States and MEPs who are largely opposing the Commission's proposal to lift the ban on US chlorine chicken. The national experts' decision is an encouraging first step in blocking its entry into the European food chain.

Having in view the coming EU-US Summit of 10 June, Euro Coop urges the European Commission to heed the message expressed by numerous Member States, MEPs and civil society organisations: European consumers have the right to eat poultrymeat free of chlorine and other chemical substances.

For more information please contact:

Laura Street, Food Policy Officer, Euro Coop
Tel: +32 (0)2 285 00 72
E-mail: lstreetateurocoop.coop