The committee on international trade of the European Parliament approved on Sept. 29 the introduction of mandatory origin labeling in the European Union for some products, including all kinds of footwear, apparel and eyewear, manufactured outside the union. The draft was approved by 19 members of the committee, while two voted against and two abstained. The text does not propose origin labeling for goods produced in the EU, Turkey, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The text aims to resurrect proposals made by the European Commission in 2005 and rejected by the European Council due to the opposition of northern European governments. However, the committee did not include in the document an amendment put forward by two Italian members of parliament, Francesco Enrico Speroni and Matteo Salvini, to extend mandatory origin labeling to toys and leisure and sports goods. The text now has to be approved by the full Parliament, which can amend it. A vote by the house is expected by the end of the year. If approved, the Parliament and Council will have to find a compromise avoid an institutional clash (more in SGI Europe).
