Industry and consumer organisations split over GM labelling proposals
New proposals on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be difficult and costly to implement, representatives of the food and biotech industries told a public hearing held at the European Parliament on 25 April. The Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA) told MEPs that the proposals, tabled by the European Commission in July last year, may cause confusion between products derived from, but not containing, GM produce and traditional non-genetically modified products. The one per cent GM labelling threshold means some produce which does contain modified genetic material may not be labelled as such, the CIAA added, thereby potentially misleading consumers. Biotech industry organisation Europabio shares the CIAA's concerns, and claims the new requirements could be open to fraud as labelling is required even in cases, such as GM derivatives, where produce cannot be tested for genetically modified content. The European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC), however, supports the Commission's proposals and believes consumers have a right to have their food labelled regardless of its GM status. BEUC food advisor Beate Kettlitz told CORDIS News that consumer and industry representatives are divided over the issue of labelling. She said that while consumer organisations are in favour of providing information on the origins of a product even where testing is not possible, industrial organisations maintain that no honest labelling is possible without testing. While the one per cent threshold for GM content labelling laid out by the Commission cannot provide consumers with 100 per cent guarantees, a pragmatic approach is needed, said Ms Kettlitz. The BEUC would, however, support any amendment by the Parliament to put forward a lower threshold. Ms Kettlitz added that the hearing, held one day before the deadline for tabling amendments, was 'late but not too late,' and provided a useful forum for the exchange of views. The proposals, contained in two reports from Austrian MEP Karin Scheele and Greek MEP Antonios Trakatellis, will be voted on by the European Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and consumer protection on 4 June before being put to a plenary session of the Parliament in July.