EU – Baltic States, Foodstuff, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies

The regulation stipulates that the maximum benzopyrene level for Latvian sprats will remain unchanged after January 1, 2014, but it will have to be reduced more than twofold in all other smoked fish products, writes LETA.

Therefore, Latvia has managed to convince experts from the Commission and other European Union member states about the traditional and specific properties of Latvian smoked sprats, which make them different from other smoked fish products.

Latvian Fisheries Association's President Didzis Smits told Nozare.lv that the Commission's decision is a result of efforts of the Latvian Foreign ministry and Agriculture Ministry. "The fact that we have been singled out is a very important step in the right direction," he said. Although the final decision is yet to be taken, Smits hopes for a positive outcome.

The Commission initially said that maximum benzopyrene level in smoked sprats should be reduced to five micrograms per kilogram, whereas Latvia insisted that the maximum level should be eight micrograms per kilogram. Smoked sprat producers said that reducing this level would affect the traditional flavor of the product.

The final decision on the new regulation is expected to be taken at the beginning of next year.