PRESS RELEASE
ZYTHOS NOT CONVINCED BY MINISTER DEMOTTE'S STATEMENTS ABOUT THE LAMBIC BREWERIES
Zythos, the non-profit organisation of beerconsumers that is fighting for the safeguarding
and propagation of the Belgian beerculture in all its aspects, is not convinced by the
reassuring statements by minister of public health Demotte, concerning the future of the
lambic breweries.
Last weekend the minister declared that the new European regulation on the hygiene of
foodstuffs was no threat for traditional Belgian beers such as lambic, gueuze and old
brown. According to him the regulation did not put new demands for the producers of these
beers, hence nothing had to be changed in the production process.
Zythos agrees only partly with the minister's opinion. Zythos appreciates the
minister's view, as stated in the House of Representatives on 17 November in answer
to a parliamentary question. The minister then said: "To be able to respect the
traditional production methods, I will take the necessary measures with my services to
apply the prescribed regulations properly, in function of the analysis of the
dangers". From this it can be concluded indeed that no immediate or short term danger
is threatening the survival of the lambic breweries.
However, at long term this danger certainly is not averted. All depends from the way in
which the European regulation on the hygiene of foodstuffs is interpreted and applied.
There is no guarantee that future authorities, employees and inspectors will do this in
the same way as now promised by minister Demotte. Contrary to the minister's
assumption, the European regulation certainly comprises provisions which, if strictly
applied, can cause serious problems to our lambic brewers. The regulation states, for
instance, that for all surfaces coming in contact with food - and beer certainly is a
foodstuff - "the use of corrosion resistant, smooth, washable and non-toxic
materials" is required. For the rooms where foodstuffs are prepared - in other words
the brewery - the regulation states at different places that "the use of impervious,
non-absorbent, washable and non-toxic materials are required, unless food business
operators (i.e. the brewers) can satisfy the competent authori!
ty that
other materials used are appropriate". Especially this last specification
("unless...") shows clearly that much depends from the interpretation by the
authorities. So the European regulation, as formulated now, gives no long tern guarantee
to the lambic brewers. Precisely these brewers - if they want to maintain the authenticity
of the production process - are strongly dependent from the microflora that has settled in
the brewery and cannot apply the regulation in a strict sense.
For these reasons Zythos keeps urging the brewers' professional organisation and the
competent politicians to make use of the exemption measures that are provided for
explicitly in the European regulation. Art. 4 of the regulation indeed states: "A
member state may, in co-operation with the Commission (...) adapt the requirements (...),
provided that the objectives of food hygiene are not compromised , with a view to (...)
take account of traditional methods of production or the use of raw materials which are,
according to scientific findings, established practice or tradition, characteristic of the
production process".
These exemption measures, which are understood to have been used already by French wine
producers and cheese makers, can be applied also on our lambic brewers, gueuze blenders
and old brown producers. Zythos does not agree with the answer, given by minister Demotte
in the House of Representatives, concerning possible negative effects of the European
regulation. He said: "I can only answer when it happens. Maybe we can request then
the same exemption as France". Zythos thinks that it is better to prevent it to
happen, because for some small family businesses with limited financial ability that can
be fatal already. So getting the exemption measures on the European regulation is of vital
importance.
As a result of the closing down of the lambic brewery Oud Beersel earlier this year,
Zythos launched a campaign. The slogan of it, "Save Oud Beersel", was symbolic
for the problems of all lambic brewers and gueuze blenders. This campaign, resulting in
more than 4000 petitions from home and abroad, will be concluded at the end of this year.
Zythos asked for a meeting with the minister of consumer affairs Freya Van den Bossche.
The petitions will be handed over to her, together with a list of measures that have to be
taken by the responsible politicians, in order to guarantee the survival of one of
Belgium's most unique beers.