eurealist.co.uk

After all the big news about the EU Constitution and the British Rebate it is perhaps time to return, even if briefly to the real objections many ordinary people have against the EU and the absurd over-regulation imposed on them by central government.
As Government officials, acting on European regulations create new rules in an amendment to the Food Safety Act.

Now according to the Telegraph
All home bakers who sell their products at fetes, village cricket matches or WI stalls or farmers markets will have to record and keep and the receipts and account for every ingredient and these records must be available for inspection by Trading Standard’s who are insisting on them keeping receipts for a year for each item purchased.

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said the legislation only applies to outlets selling on a regular basis. He said: “We would envisage local authorities [will] take a proportionate and flexible approach.”

The European Commission Representation in the United Kingdom
On its Myth page labels this myth 137

Myth: Home-made cakes must be labelled with all ingredients

Crumbs, now home-made cake is dangerous – An EU directive may force full ingredients lists on all food retailers
The Times, 9 July 2004, page 5
If baking for the school or church fête was not onerous enough, the Government could soon ban home-made cakes from sale unless they carry a special label declaring whether they contain nuts.

Fact
New EU rules will require pre-packaged food sold in, for example, supermarkets, to be properly labelled with full ingredients lists. This will enable those who suffer from allergies to avoid the often very unpleasant consequences that can ensue after eating the wrong thing. However, Directive 2003/89/EC does not force full ingredients lists on food sold in places like restaurants and fast-food vans. Food sold loose or packaged on the premises for direct sale may be exempted from these strict labelling requirements, provided the consumer or customer receives “sufficient information”. How this is done is left up to individual member states, providing legislative leeway to avoid the type of over-regulation The Times suggests will affect home-made cakes sold at school fêtes.

It is all very well for the EU to claim that this is a myth and it is up to individual member states, but it is their directive which is being implemented. They may wish to claim that the British government is being over zealous in applying this directive, but the fact remains that is what is happening, and it does bring the affects of Brussels rule strait into the homes of every householder in Britain.

So is it any wonder that we then turn round and say we do not want these intrusive rules, we do not want to live in such an over regulated country we do not want to be forced to accept the laws of a government we cannot control. A curse on the EU and all the little small minded government officials who over egg the powers this organisation gives them to make our lives ever more proscribed.