site.bta New Foods Act to Introduce All Possible EU Law Derogations in Favour of Bulgarian Consumers

New Foods Act to Introduce All Possible EU Law Derogations in Favour of Bulgarian Consumers

Sofia, April 4 (BTA) - Agriculture and Food Minister Dessislava
Taneva told journalists her Ministry was working on urgent
amendments to the Foods Act with a view to thoroughly analysing
food-related legislation and supporting Bulgarian food
production.

The new law will introduce all possible derogations from EU law
to benefit Bulgarian consumers, said Taneva.

The government is doing its best to crack down on contraband
imports which put Bulgarian farmers at a disadvantage. In
general, imports are cheaper partly due to the difference in
agricultural subsidies.

Asked about possible support for dairy farmers, Taneva said the
crisis was partly caused by the long-planned end of the quota
system and to a much greater extent by the import restrictions
imposed by Russia. The Russian embargo of last August
complicated the situation because the large output of the dairy
industry in the EU presses down prices EU-wide and flooded the
Bulgarian market with much more heavily subsided products.
Taneva said she had asked Brussels for direct support for
Bulgarian milk producers back in December and had been backed by
10 countries.

Taneva and Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova opened an Easter
farmers market at the Ivan Vazov market in Sofia. It will
operate until April 9.