The European Union has taken a further step in protecting the designations associated with meat and meat products. The Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) has published Regulation (EU) 2026/1739 , which introduces new measures aimed at differentiating these foods from alternative products and strengthening the clarity of the information provided to consumers.
One of the main new features is the inclusion of a legal definition of “meat,” understood as the edible parts of animals included within the scope of the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets. The regulations also define the concept of meat products.
The Regulation protects a number of terms traditionally associated with meat. These include designations such as meat, beef, veal, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, and goat , as well as names of cuts and products such as tenderloin, loin, rib, shoulder, chop, breast, entrecote, bacon, steak, and liver .
These designations will be reserved for meat products and for those whose name refers to the animal species from which they originate.
The regulations also stipulate that protected terms may not be used to designate products made from plant-based ingredients or foods obtained through cell culture or other equivalent technologies. However, the European Commission may establish exceptions for certain traditional names when their use does not mislead the consumer.
Although the Regulation has already been published, the provisions relating to the reservation of meat designations will apply from 19 August 2029.
The new regulation represents progress in differentiating meat products within the European market and establishes a common framework on the use of names closely linked to these foods, with the aim of providing clearer information to the consumer.
