The European Parliament has passed laws to introduce mandatory labelling of all genetically modified food, in a move that could lead to the lifting of the EU’s unofficial moratorium on GM crops.
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The new legislation, which still requires final approval by the EU’s member governments, will mean the food industry will have to keep GM crops separate from conventional crops and put strict limits on the accidental mixing of the two, reported Reuters.
The rules allow for no more than 0.9% accidental mixing of GM in non-GM shipments to the EU. All products containing more than 0.9% GMOs will have to be labelled as genetically modified. Genetically modified material will also have to be traced at all stages of production.
The laws also allow EU member states to take “appropriate measures” to ensure GM crops planted in the EU do not cross-pollinate with conventional crops.
Several countries in the EU had said they would keep the moratorium in place until new legislation regarding labelling and traceability was introduced.
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By GlobalDataThe new legislation may not, however, stop the US from going ahead with its WTO case against the EU. Although favouring a lifting of the moratorium, the US is likely to consider such stringent labelling laws unworkable.
