IN THE DENSE SCENARIO OF EUROPEAN POLITICS, IL “DDL LOLLOBRIGIDA” – WHICH PROHIBITS THE PRODUCTION AND SALE OF MEAT GROWN IN LABORATORY – LAUNCHED ON DECEMBER 1ST, IT IS AT THE CENTER OF AN UNEXPECTED TWIST. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION BRANDED THE MEASURE AS A VIOLATION OF EUROPEAN UNION RIGHTS AND SENT IT BACK TO THE SENDER. THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION (OIPA) RAGES AGAINST THE DDL, DEFINITING IT “IDEOLOGICAL AND OUT OF TIME”
Cultured meat: failed the “dl Lollobrigida”
Il Lollobrigida billwhich aims to ban the production and sale of cultured meat in the laboratory, he collided with an impassable wall.
The European Commission rejected the measure, judging it does not comply with European regulations and unsuitable for continent-wide approval. The violation of European law and the request for reporting on the developments given to the bill are at the heart of the motivation of note n .2023/675/IT.
The rule violated – we read in a note fromThe bad ones – is Article 6 of EU Directive 2015/1535, which requires Member States to submit to the Commission any bill deemed to be in conflict with the European single market through Tris procedurebefore its approval.
The Tris procedurewhich is used by Member States and the Commission to analyze draft laws concerning the single market, must in fact be activated before parliamentary approval, guaranteeing preventive control over rules that could influence the cohesion of the European market.
Regulatory clash: the European Commission rejects the Lollobrigida bill on cultured meat
The text, brought forward by the Minister of Agriculture, in addition to banning the production of cultured meat, introduced a controversial provision that prohibited the use of names referring to meat or meat products for plant-based foods, commonly known as “meat sounding”. The ban, in addition to dealing with the procedural problems linked to the violation of the Tris procedure, could become the subject of a decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union, opening a new chapter in the complex legislative dynamics on cultured meat.
But what happened in detail?
The bill entered the Chambers in mid-December and was subsequently approved and signed by the President Sergio Mattarella. However, before coming into force, it had undergone extensive scrutiny by the European Union for an assessment of its compatibility with continental laws. Despite its publication in the Official Journal, the Lollobrigida bill was never able to see the light due to the constraints imposed by the European consensus.
In a note dated January 29th, the European Commission communicated to the Italian government the early closure of the Tris procedure relating to the law on cultivated meat. As mentioned, the reason for this twist lies in the fact that the text was adopted by the Member State before the end of the suspension period, as required by the European directives. The Commission has therefore requested the Italian government to provide detailed information on the evolution of the situation.
The dismissal of the notification was justified by referring to the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union. A ruling of 30 April 1996, known as “CIA-Security”, ruled that a national provision not notified in the context of Procedure 98/34 can be declared inapplicable by national courts. This sets the stage for a legal clash between Italian legislation and European dictates, focusing on procedural and legal aspects.
Oipa in action
«The Lollobrigida bill is ideological and out of time. Cultured meat derived from cells would offer a solution to several problems related to meat production. It would be a product that does not harm animal welfare, environmental sustainability, especially in a context of climate crisis, and food safety.”
This is the comment of the International Organization for the Protection of Animals, Oipa, which embraces the cause of cultured meat.
«Now the Government will have to comply with the observations received from the Commission and we hope for greater reflection on the topic”, we read in a note from the association.
But what is cultured meat?
A revolution in the food sector
Cultured meat, also known as “produced meat”, represents a revolutionary turning point in the food sector. This is authentic animal meat, obtained through the direct cultivation of stamina cellswhich replicates the sensory and nutritional profiles of traditional meat.
This production method eliminates the need to raise and slaughter animals for food consumption.
The debut of cultured meat dates back to 2013, when Dutch scientist Mark Post presented the first cultured meat hamburger live on television. In the years that followed, the first four cultured meat companies were founded.
Currently, over one hundred and fifty companies spread across six continents operate in the field, supported by a total of 2.6 billion dollars in investments.
Advanced research is also being conducted to establish a new paradigm in industrial-scale production of meat products.
All initiatives aimed at simultaneously promoting environmental sustainability and reducing dependence on traditional farming.
Cultured meat production
The process of producing cultured meat begins with the acquisition and preservation of an animal’s stem cells. The cells are subsequently grown in bioreactors, also known as cultivators, at high densities and volumes. Inside these bioreactors, cells are fed a rich cell culture medium containing amino acids, glucose, vitamins and inorganic salts, supplemented with growth factors and other proteins. This environment stimulates the differentiation of cells into the skeletal muscle, fat and connective tissues that make up meat, replicating the physiological process within the animal body.
The cultured meat production period, estimated to be between two and eight weeks depending on the type of meat, culminates with the harvesting, preparation and packaging of the final products.
But what are the advantages?
Cultured meat promises to revolutionize the food sector thanks to several benefits. First, its more efficient manufacturing process significantly reduces the use of resources, mitigating the problem ofpollution and of theeutrophication associated with conventional agriculture.
For those who don’t know, l‘eutrophication it is a degenerative process of water induced by excessive supplies of substances with a fertilizing effect.
One study indicates that cultured meat, if produced with renewable energy, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92% and land use by up to 90% compared to traditional beef.
Furthermore, it is designed to be free from the use of antibiotics.
Which reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses linked to exposure to enteric pathogens. This change in food production is critical to mitigate deforestationbiodiversity loss, antibiotic resistance and zoonotic disease outbreaks.
At the same time, it offers an ethical alternative to industrial animal slaughter. What will happen to the business tycoonstraditional breedingthose who would benefit from the ban on synthetic meat?
Here comes plan B.
The meat business: rich and poor
Mark Zuckerberg recently announced its new ranching investment at Ko’olau Ranch on Kauai, the oldest island in the Hawaii. The goal of the Facebook founder is to produce high quality meat, breeding Wagyu and Angus cattle that will feed on macadamia nut flour (very expensive) and drink a beer produced directly on the ranch. Why this drink? It seems that the beer and flour mix is extremely nutritious.
It’s easy to say who will be able to eat the tycoon’s meat: the rich, obviously. However, if you think about it, synthetic meat could also turn out to be a bargain.
Who knows if it was this intuition that pushed it Bill Gatesfounder of Microsoft, to buy a gigantic agricultural land in the United States, intended precisely for cultivation and livestock. «I am convinced that a plant-based diet is the future. I want to be the one who plants the first seeds“, He said. It is useful to point out that among Gates’ partners there is also Elon Musk’s brother, Kimbal.
Pure philanthropy?
Let’s put it as we like: cultured meat and synthetic meat would seem just a matter of business.
Sources
The Good Food Institute