EU plans to restrict the use of names such as “veggie burger” and “vegan sausage” collapsed on Wednesday after negotiations between the European Parliament and member states broke down. The failure of the talks means plant-based products can continue using existing names for now.
The European Parliament had backed the idea earlier this autumn, arguing that terms traditionally associated with meat should be reserved for animal-based products. But several national governments remained unconvinced, preventing a common position.
The proposal was driven by French MEP Céline Imart, who sought stricter rules on meat-related terminology. In the final negotiation round, she unexpectedly reopened issues previously considered settled and proposed adding “liver” and “ham” to the list of protected terms.
EU governments, led by Denmark, said they had no mandate to amend those sections of the legislation, causing the talks to stall. “We did not succeed in reaching an agreement,” Danish Agriculture Minister Jacob Jensen said after the meeting.
With no deal reached, the file will now roll over to January under the incoming Cypriot EU presidency, leaving the long-running debate over plant-based food names unresolved.
