Romania Fights with EU over E. Coli Alert Error

Romanian officials condemned the European Union’s decision to uphold an Italian E. coli alert over Romanian sheep cheese, according to The New Zealand Herald. Instead, Romanian health officials stated that an alert should have been tailored to cow-based cheese that was made in Romania, dispelling broader claims made by Italian authorities. Romania relies heavily on sheep cheese exports, and roughly 20 tons of cheese had been removed from shelves because of the mistake.

Romanian officials condemned the European Union’s decision to uphold an Italian E. coli alert over Romanian sheep cheese, according to The New Zealand Herald. Instead, Romanian health officials stated that an alert should have been tailored to cow-based cheese that was made in Romania, dispelling broader claims made by Italian authorities. Romania relies heavily on sheep cheese exports, and roughly 20 tons of cheese had been removed from shelves because of the mistake.

The error alert caused the Italian government to suggest changing how EU leaders levy health warnings in the future. Romanians were incensed over the false claim because cheese exports comprise a vital source of revenue for its economy. Romania fared successfully against the world economic meltdown of 2008, but the Eastern European country needs a strong export sector to maintain growth.

Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos accused the EU of hurting the nation’s food industry, and the level of damage to the dairy industry remains uncertain. The warning also cast a dark cloud over Romania’s recent EU recognition of a brand of Romanian feta-style cheese, the second Romanian item to gain official status in March. EU product recognition is a coveted reward, which allows member nations to access funding so it can be produced on a mass scale. Romania became a member of the EU in 2007.

Deeper Problems

Although Romania’s cheese industry is an important part of the economy, Romanians have larger issues to address. The Transylvanian nation is one of many EU countries approaching the danger zone in terms of budgeting, notes Bloomberg. The government raised the budget deficit to 4.0 percent GDP in 2017, which could jeopardize economic stability.

This would place the country at odds with EU policy, which states that member countries must stick to a maximum of 3.0 percent. Further, infrastructure investment has dropped, and while Romania is one of the stronger economies in the region, it remains a developing nation, which needs infrastructure and other forms of investment to sustain further modernization.

Rising Status

In March, Romania donated sugar, heating oil and other supplies to Moldova to aid the country’s poor, and the government offered a loan package to Moldovan leaders. Romania has been a leading figure in upgrading living standards for its poor, but policymakers will have to do more to lift a more people out of poverty. The World Bank has suggested such measures as structural reforms, energy refinements and improved tax collection to spur higher growth.