A new wave of genetically modified products could become available to the EU food industry after Brussels approved legislation regulating the release of GM organisms into the European Union. But whether a European food industry – hampered by consumer reluctance to buy GM foods – is likely to be encouraged to buy what is on offer in the US, Canada, Argentina and elsewhere is another question altogether.
Indeed, EU food industry spokesmen have told just-food.com that the revised European directive 90/220 on the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment, agreed by the Council of Ministers on 20 December, may only exacerbate the existing backlog in applications for approval of GM products.
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Key elements of the legislation include:
- A requirement for Member States to take measures to ensure labelling and traceability at all stages;
- Time limits for authorisations;
- A more efficient and transparent decision making process, with provision for consultation, reporting on ethical issues, and the involvement of the public;
- The promotion of plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure developing countries are notified of GM imports, provided with information and have their consent obtained prior to a shipment taking place;
- The creation of a public register of the locations of GM crops and foods released during a trial period;
- The phasing out of antibiotic resistance elements of GMOs – which can cross over into non-GM crops – by 2004 in all GM products.
These elements make for a serious overhaul of the EU’s GM imports approval regime, which had been attacked for being too lax and difficult to monitor. As a result, no consents have been granted since October 1998 and there are currently 14 applications pending approval at various stages in the procedure, which are either still being evaluated by the respective scientific committee or discussed in the Regulatory Committee.
Kate Snowden, of the UK’s Food and Drink Federation said: “We have always supported simplification of the legislation, provided safety is not compromised, not least because of the complexities of the global food supply chain and differences with legislation elsewhere in the world, especially the US. The main effect on our members therefore relates to the speed of authorisations in the EU, particularly regarding GM crops and ingredients already authorised in the US.”
However, she added: “It remains to be seen how the amendment to the directive will affect authorisations in Europe, given the log jam in the EU scientific committees and what has been a de facto moratorium on new authorisations of GM crops and processes, and in the light of continuing consumer resistance to products produced from or containing GM raw materials, which we consider unlikely to be affected by technical legislation of this kind.
“We believe that many of the environmental lobby groups have sought to manipulate consumer attitudes by deliberate confusion of the issues of food safety with environmental concerns.”
Socialist MEP David Bowe, who has been presiding over negotiations about the reforms between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, said: “The first thing that is going to happen is that the legislation will unblock a lot of applications that have been waiting to be processed. Then there will be new products coming from agriculture which food manufacturers must decide what
they are going to do with. How they handle these new products is up to the food industry.”
He stressed that public confidence should increase as a result of the legislation, saying: “I can guarantee the products which are processed under the new directive will have been through a much stricter and more scientifically rigid appraisal, to make sure they do not pose a risk to the
environment or public health.”
Food industry consultant, Walter J Anzer, said that the directive will receive different receptions in different countries. He said: “Generally speaking correct declarations on labels are of the utmost importance so that the consumer is fully aware of what the ingredients are in any particular food product. Whilst a harmonised approach on the subject of GMO is welcome, EU Member States have divided opinions” adding that “consumers in Austria and Germany are totally opposed and would not entertain purchasing any food containing GMO material.”
By Kate Ellerton, just-food.com correspondent
