Overview
- Negotiators from EU member states and the European Parliament ended Wednesday’s session without a deal on restricting meat-related labels for plant-based foods, with talks set to continue next year.
- The Parliament backed the measure in October by 355–247 to reserve terms such as burger, sausage and steak for animal products, with drafts cited as listing 29 protected terms and redefining meat as the edible part of an animal.
- The European Commission frames the proposal as a consumer-transparency effort that preserves traditional terminology, a position supported by livestock groups including France’s Interbev.
- Opposition comes from several countries and from major German retailers like Lidl and Aldi, as well as consumer and environmental groups, while Paul McCartney and British MPs have urged Brussels to drop the plan.
- Similar national rules in France were overturned in early 2025 following an EU court ruling, and the final outcome of the EU-wide proposal remains uncertain as it must be agreed by the Parliament, Commission and Council.