SUA Joins the European Initiative “Stop Fake Food: Origin on the Label”
03.02.2025
The Slovak market is currently flooded with imported food products, many of which do not originate from the European Union. This exposes consumers to the risk of purchasing goods produced under lower production and hygiene standards than those required within the EU.
To address this issue, the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra has joined the European initiative "Stop Fake Food: Origin on the Label." This initiative was launched by Italian farmers from the Confederazione Nazionale COLDIRETTI. The goal is to ensure that European consumers have the right to know the origin of the food they buy, including where it was produced and under what standards.
For example, when choosing between imported chicken that may have been produced with antibiotics outside the EU, and locally produced, high-quality meat that meets strict EU standards and has passed thorough veterinary inspections, it is important for consumers to know where the food comes from. The country of origin of both the raw material and the processed product should be clearly stated on the label.
The goal of this initiative is to gather one million signatures from EU citizens who support the requirement for clear labelling of food origin. If successful, the European Commission will be required to address the petition. The signature collection period will end on September 21 of this year. More information about the initiative can be found at www.milionpodpisov.sk, a website created by the Slovak Chamber of Agriculture and Food (SPPK), which also links to the official petition.
Andrej Gajdoš, Chairman of the Slovak Agricultural and Food Chamber (SPPK), stated: “We are participating in this initiative because we care about the quality of food imported into the EU. We care about what consumers eat, and we are concerned that Slovaks, for example, have one of the highest rates of colon cancer in the world. We are also concerned that cheap food imports are putting Slovak farmers and food producers at a competitive disadvantage and are harming the planet.”
SUA in Nitra is calling on employees, students, and the general public, both professional and non-professional to sign the petition supporting truthful food labelling. Any EU citizen who is at least 18 years old can join the initiative. We appreciate every signature and encourage you to spread the word about this campaign both in Slovakia and abroad, including your professional meetings.
