EU grants domestic food producers extra year to come up to scratch

During this time, these firms will only be able to sell their products to the domestic market. "The fact that a given company received an extra transition period does not mean that it does not meet the basic hygiene standards. The food produced by such a company is safe for consumers. The company lacks only certain facilities required by EU regulations," explained Beate Gminder, a European Commission spokesperson. According to Piotr Kołodziej, the country's chief veterinary surgeon, out of about 3,000 slaughter houses and dairy companies, 1,000 will be able to export to the EU without any limitations, while about 300 smaller abattoirs will have to be closed. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 25) E.B.