Bulgaria’s national Ombudsperson Maya Manolova submitted a petition to the Petitions Committee in the European Parliament in Brussels on 22nd of January, reported the Bulgarian National Television. The petition is against the double standard in foods and drink in the European Union. Manolova insists on a change in the European legislation, including in the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. The ombudsperson has been approached by Bulgarian mothers who found that their babies consume foods and drinks of lower quality and at much higher prices. Maya Manolova will also meet with European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova.

Maya Manolova, Ombudspesron: The petition we have submitted together with Bulgarian citizens has already delivered results. A report from the Agriculture Committee was prepared, which was adopted by the EP with recommendations to end the practice of double standards. My insistence on a legislative proposal came as part of EU Commissioner Jourova's package in the so-called consumer package. What we will insist on today that the Commission remains open so that the EP can fully trace the adoption of the legal ban on double standards on foods and further implementation.

 I am proud that we have achieved this success, which is important to 100 million European citizens, Manolova added. 

Maya Manolova, Ombudsman: The Committee on Agriculture in the European Parliament drew up a report and made recommendations. A legislative proposal has been made for changes to the so- consumer package of Vera Yurova, who was announced in Sofia last April. Yesterday, this proposal was adopted by an overwhelming majority in the Internal Market Commission.
According to Manolova, this issue can not be resolved at national level with Bulgarian legislation because it is the EU's founding principles.

Maya Manolova, Ombudsman: The petition remains open so that the next European Parliament can monitor what is happening with this discriminatory double standard of food practice. For the past three years in Bulgaria we have formed a national coalition against the dual markets. The problem concerns not only us, but also the Visegrad countries, Romania, Greece, Slovenia ... Yesterday a MEP from Lithuania indicated that this is also a huge problem for the Baltic countries.

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