WRITTEN QUESTION E-3983/96 by Ana Miranda de Lage (PSE) to the Commission (14 January 1997)

Subject: Genetically engineered agricultural products

In recent weeks, ships carrying genetically engineered agricultural products have arrived at four European ports. On 2 December in Barcelona, unloading began of 45 000 tonnes of soya beans, 2% of which are genetically engineered. The Spanish authorities have issued assurances that these products present no risk to health.

However, the EC seems to have reservations as to whether these products are unexceptionable, and has set up a scientific committee which has not yet reached a conclusion.

Can the Commission say what measures it is taking to prevent genetically engineered products from entering processing, manufacturing and marketing networks, until the scientific committee has produced a favourable report? If it does so, what measures will be adopted to ensure that labels indicate the percentage of genetically engineered products used in the manufacture of foodstuffs for human and animal consumption?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (26 March 1997)

On 3 April 1996 the Commission adopted a decision ((96/281/EC - OJ L 107, 30.4.1996. )) for the placing on the market of genetically modified soya beans for 'handling in the environment during import, before and during storage, and before and during its

processing to non-viable products' following a favourable vote of the regulatory committee composed of the representatives of the Member States. Following this decision, the United Kingdom issued a consent to Monsanto Europe which allows this company to place the genetically modified soya beans on the market in all Member States, including Spain, for the above-mentioned uses.

The Commission decision and the consent granted do not exclude the application of national provisions on human food safety or animal feed safety, provided they are in compliance with Community law.

The consent for the placing on the market of these soya beans has been granted in accordance with the procedures foreseen by Council Directive 90/220/EEC of 23 April 1990 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms ((OJ L 117, 8.5.1990. )). The United Kingdom examined the compliance of the notification with the Directive and then forwarded the dossier to the Commission with a favourable opinion. Furthermore, the Commission based its decision on the information submitted in the dossier as well as the evaluations and arguments provided by the other Member States. The information provided and the risk assessment carried out has satisfied the Commission that adverse effects on human health or the environment are not likely to result from the above-mentioned uses of the product. No scientific committee was set up in the context of this dossier.

It was in the context of another case that the Commission found it necessary to validate the scientific basis of its proposed measures concerning another product notification, namely the Ciba-Geigy maize. It did so by consulting the three existing scientific committees for food, animal nutrition and pesticides. According to the opinions of these committees, delivered in December 1996, there is no reason to believe that the Ciba-Geigy maize can cause adverse effects on human health or the environment. Therefore, on 23 January 1997 the Commission adopted a Decision ((97/98/EC - OJ L 31, 1.2.1997. )) for the placing on the market of the Ciba-Geigy maize and, following the consent granted by France, the product may be placed on the market in all Member States.

According to the provisions of Directive 90/220/EEC, labelling specifying that the product contains genetically modified organisms may only be imposed if there are safety reasons. However, the Regulation on novel food and novel food ingredients ((OJ L 43, 14.2.1997. )) which has only recently been adopted by the Council and the European Parliament provides specific rules for the labelling of foodstuffs containing, consisting of, or derived from genetically modified organisms which have not been used for human consumption to a significant degree within the Community.