WRITTEN QUESTION E-2081/00

by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 June 2000)

Subject: Research on food safety through the Fifth Framework Programme

In view of the time it may take to establish a European Authority on Food Safety acceptable to all Member States, and the European institutions, to what extent will the Commission give priority to supporting research on food safety through the Fifth Framework Programme in the interim period (budgetary allocation and potential number of projects)?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2079/00, E-2080/00, E-2081/00 and E-2087/00 given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 2000)

The Commission has recently (press release of 13 July 2000) indicated its intentions with regard to the approval process for genetically modified organisms' (GMO). The objective is to resume the authorisation process for GMOs in the near future whilst addressing public concerns on GMOs as well as problems of legal uncertainty for those concerned. Further research on the safety testing of GMOs as well as research on detection methods and traceability of GMOs is an essential contribution to the package of measures which has been proposed.

Concerning research on the safety testing of GMOs risk assessment needs to address the final characteristic of the organism and the circumstances of its application in relation to possible risks to human health and the environment. Research on potential risks of genetically modified (GM) crops has been supported under successive framework programmes since 1986. A total of 63 projects involving 412 laboratories costing 48,5 million has not indicated any inherent risks in genetic engineering and has established that the safety of GM crops under consideration is comparable to that of conventionally bred crops.

A number of projects relating to the safety of food derived from GMOs are currently being supported by the fifth framework programme (FP5) and are described in the brochure European Network safety assessment of genetically modified food crops which is sent directly to the Honourable Member and Parliaments' Secretariat.

Further research will be supported to address remaining areas of uncertainty and concern which have been raised in public debate. Particular attention will be paid to monitoring of larger-scale experiments for longer-term environmental impacts. Support will be provided under the Quality of life and management of living resources programme, key action (KA1) Food, nutrition and health (in particular the action line on Quality monitoring and traceability throughout the food chain) and KA3 The cell factory (in particular the action line on Development of methods and strategies to ensure the safety of new biomolecules or bioprocesses, and for the identification of recombinant organisms, their residues in the environment, and their impact on human and animal health). Deadlines for proposals will be October 2000.

Research on food safety in general continues to have high priority in FP5. Calls for proposals under this programme enable flexibility of response to meet emerging needs and unpredictable policy concerns. KA1 on food, nutrition and health within the quality of life and management of living resources programme is currently funding 21 research projects on food safety with a total Community contribution of 30,3 million. In addition, five research projects are currently in the negotiation phase for a total Community contribution of 5,4 million. Finally, a second call for proposals was published on 15 December 1999(1) on food safety and food technology. The budget for this call has been set at 39 million (October 2000 deadline).

Research on detection methodology for GMO research provides essential support for labelling and traceability of GMOs and is carried out under the FP 5 and by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).

Under the competitive and sustainable growth programme of the FP 5 further research will be focused on the development of instrumentation, methodologies, databases, sampling plans and reference materials in order to validate the labelling of GMO foods and interpretation of data. Additional support is provided for development, preparation and certification of reference materials containing GMOs for identification, calibration and quality control related to antifraud activities. The research results coming from these projects will provide scientific support to the European authority on food safety.

The JRC coordinates a network of Member State laboratories on the further development and validation of DNA and protein based detection methods. Moreover, the JRC has many activities to support directly the Commission within the field of food safety. The budget allocated to these activities in FP5 is in the order of 50 million over four years.

Several detection methods for quantitative and qualitative analyses exist in Member States and a number have been validated by the JRC. Examples include a detection (screening) method for raw and processed materials and quantitative methods for products derived from GM-soybeans and GM-maize.

(1) OJ C 361, 15.12.1999.