The European Parliament has taken a hard line on the levels of genetically modified organisms permissible in organic food, sending proposed legislation back to the Agriculture Committee for further consideration after MEPs voted that the maximum allowable level for accidental contamination by GMOs should be reduced to 0.1%.
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An overwhelming majority of MEPs voted in favour of GMO regulations being made subject to the EP-Council co-decision procedure, a move strongly resisted by European Commission.
In sending the regulation back to the Agricultural Committee, Parliament has effectively bought itself additional time to convince the Commission that stricter GMO regulations are necessary. Under the consultation procedure, the Council cannot adopt its position until Parliament has decided on its own stance through a plenary vote.
The EC has proposed to allow foodstuffs containing 0.9% GMOs to be sold as organic, allowing for accidental contamination. However, the European Parliament has voted that this threshold should be cut to 0.1%.
A narrow majority of MEPs also called for the Commission to propose a directive providing for precautionary measures to prevent GMO contamination throughout the food chain, with clear rules on liability and application of the “polluter-pays” principle.
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