Country of Origin Labelling of Food Products

摘要

This paper takes as its starting point a recent and controversial ruling by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) against Lidl Italia S.r.l., producer of dried pasta under the Ttal-iAmo' and 'Combino' brands. The ruling is an opportunity to take acloser look at the current state of implementation and interpretation of the rules governing the origin of foodstuffs and the possibility of claiming a given origin when presenting food and drinks on the market. In this context, it is not always easy toreconcile the customs regulations on the origin of goods (so-called 'made in'), the principles of consumer protection and the specific rules of the sector relating to food and, more recently, to the origin of the primary ingredient.