Parliament must defend its demand for traceability and labelling

Commenting on the EU vote to deregulate new GMOs, ENGA, the association of the European non-GMO food and feed sector, said, "The result of today’s vote at the COREPER meeting on New Genomic Techniques is highly disappointing: Without traceability and labelling for the majority of New GMOs, the food sector and consumers will not know whether NGTs are in their value chains or on their plates.

"In a shocking abandonment of consumers’ right to information, as enshrined in the Treaty of the European Union, policy makers of two EU institutions are removing citizens’ right to make informed choices (as provided for in the EU General Food Law).

"It is equally alarming how much the European Commission and the Council are leaving the food industry out in the cold. It will have to bear the costs of safety testing for NGT1 products classified as "novel foods", as well as liability risks should New GMOs turn out to be harmful to consumers.

"Our hopes now rest with the European Parliament. In the trilogue negotiations, it must defend its position on traceability and labelling through the entire supply chain - through to the product on the supermarket shelf. That must be its red line: to protect the right to know of consumers, food manufacturers, and retailers, who must ultimately answer as to whether New GMOs are in their products.

"We call on MEPs to act as representatives of the people and not as representatives of a few large biotech companies."

More information:

Consumers’ rights to information are enshrined in the Treaty of the European Union: “In order to promote the interests of consumers and to ensure a high level of consumer protection, the Union shall contribute to protecting the health, safety and economic interests of consumers, as well as to promoting their right to information, education and to organise themselves in order to safeguard their interests.” (Article 169(1) Treaty of the European Union)

The EU General Food Law adds to Article 169(1) of the Treaty of the European Union: “Food law shall aim at the protection of the interests of consumers and shall provide a basis for consumers to make informed choices in relation to the foods they consume.” (Article 8 (1) of Regulation (EC) 178/2002)

Source: ENGA https://www.enga.org/newsdetails/enga-statement-on-the-council-of-the-eus-position-on-new-genomic-techniques/