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GMO Industry Given Licence to Pollute
26 July 2001
Eurocrats take away consumers' right to GM-free food
Consumers risk unwittingly buying unlabelled and unauthorised genetically modified produce,following new regulations issued by the EU.
EU Commissioners ruled that genetically modified food/feed products (GMOs) not authorised in the European Union will be tolerated in small quantities (one per cent), as long as their presence is“adventitious” or “technically unavoidable”.
The Commissioners also ruled that the presence of such contamination does not have to be labelled. A recently-passed EU directive (2001/18/EC) is to be modified to allow for the change.
Pete Riley, GM Campaigner with Friends of the Earth, said:
“This ruling gives biotech companies a licence to pollute. All they need to do is say that any GM contamination was “accidental” and they will be able to get away with it. It is the thin end of the wedge - they will contaminate our agriculture and food supply, and that contamination will self-perpetuate as time goes on.
“The EU has given in to pressure from the biotech industry and the US government, putting business interests above the needs of consumers. How can people have confidence in a system that allows “unauthorised” GM produce to be sold, without even a label to identify it is there?
“The new rules accommodate GM pollution, rather than acting to prevent it.”
Pete Riley added that he was particularly disappointed in this concession within the new Traceability and Labelling of GMOs and Novel Food and Feed Regulations, given that they also contain other more positive regulations.
“This was an opportunity to act in favour of the consumer, but they have let us down,” he said.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
