Vegan sausage rolls could be renamed in Northern Ireland if the European Parliament votes to ban plant-based foods sold under “meaty terms”. Meat-free products would need new labels such as “tubes” or “discs” if the measure passes, a proposal backed by a majority of conservative and some liberal EU lawmakers seeking to appease farmers.
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The potential ban stems from the Windsor Framework, which requires Northern Ireland to follow certain EU rules that do not apply to the rest of the UK, including food labelling regulations. The treaty created an invisible land border with the Republic of Ireland while introducing checks on British goods crossing the Irish Sea.
Unionist politicians have criticised the move, saying Northern Ireland is being forced to follow rules it never supported. Timothy Gaston, an assembly member for Traditional Unionist Voice, told The Telegraph: “Once again, Northern Ireland finds itself bound by rules it did not make, subject to decisions in which no Northern Ireland representative has a vote. While the European Parliament debates what a sausage roll can be called, businesses here must brace for yet another layer of regulation that applies in Belfast but not in Birmingham.”
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The Northern Ireland Assembly could attempt to delay the EU law using the “Stormont brake”, which blocks rules that have a significant impact on everyday life in Northern Ireland. However, the UK government has previously denied its use on the grounds that the threshold was not met. Some products, such as Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls made in Britain and shipped to Northern Ireland, may escape the rules due to a loophole in the treaty allowing certain items made in Britain to retain their original names.
