EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 33/136

(2004/C 33 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1577/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(8 May 2003)

Subject: Use of GMOs in agriculture

The Council of genetic rights, an independent body that seeks to establish links and inter-disciplinary discussion between scientific, legal, economic and philosophical experts in the biotechnology sphere, recently called on the Italian government and European Commission to raise awareness among the competent authorities of the applications of genetic engineering in farming and the patenting of genetic inventions. The growing use of transgenic organisms in food products and animal feed is in fact causing considerable confusion in terms of the safety and health of consumers as it is not yet possible to know what effects the impact of GMOs will have on the environment and human beings. This appeal is intended to draw attention, in particular, to a number of worrying cases observed by the Council, such as natural hybridisation between genetically modified plants and wild plants, the bio-accumulation of genes that codify insecticide proteins, the lack of immunity found in laboratory guinea pigs subjected to experiments with potatoes modified with lectin and the possibility that virus resistant transgenic plants are responsible for the development of viruses with new biological characteristics. Apart from the consequences for the ecosystem and human beings, the patenting of genetic inventions, which is motivated by the profit-seeking of an oligopoly of private firms, may have a significant impact on the agri-foodstuffs industry in general and the farming system of less-developed areas in particular, with the risk of serious depletion of the latter's endogenous resources.

It therefore seems evident that it is essential to make sure that the use of GMOs in farming and foodstuffs does not compromise the survival of traditional forms of farming and to protect consumers and the right of farmers to continue in business. The recent statements by Commissioners Byrne and Wallström seem to tackle the issue of GMOs solely from the point of view of labelling and information at the time of purchase, rather than regulating the social, economic, political and ethical implications of the use of such organisms.

That said, can the Commission indicate:

1. whether it is currently assessing measures to ensure that the above requirements are satisfied,

2. what the Union's position is on defending the characteristics of traditional farming systems,

3. what instruments are currently in place within the Union to safeguard the health of consumers in relation to the use of GMOs in foodstuffs?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(29 July 2003)

1. At present the potentially adverse effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on human health and the environment are assessed on a case-by-case basis for each application for the placing on the market of a GMO, in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC (1). This assessment, which meets very strict standards, takes account of various aspects, in particular the consequences of gene transfer between genetically modified plants and wild plants resulting from the release of GMOs into the environment. Also, under the Directive, where a potential risk to human health and the environment is identified, appropriate measures may be taken (introducing separation distances between fields with GMO crops and fields with conventional crops, for example) to reduce or limit the potential risk.

2. The Commission has confirmed that farmers should be free to choose their own system of production and whether or not to use genetically modified plants. In practice this means that measures must be taken to enable farming systems using GMOs and traditional forms of farming, for example, to coexist. At its meeting on 5 March 2003 the Commission came out in favour of a solution based on subsidiarity, leaving it to the Member States to take appropriate measures to enable different types of farming to coexist. Such measures must be tailored to the type of crop and the geographical and agricultural conditions in the region of cultivation. For traditional farming, practised particularly on small, fragmented farms, the measures will have to take account of these parameters, socio-economic conditions and the costs involved.

3. Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 on novel foods and novel food ingredients (2) provides that food containing, consisting of, or produced from but no longer containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have to be approved before being placed on the market in the Community. One of the main criteria for approval is that such food must not present a danger for the consumer. A Commission proposal for a Regulation on genetically modified food and feed is currently on its second reading in Parliament (3). The objective of this proposal is, inter alia, to improve the current approval procedure in Regulation (EC) No 258/97 to make it more efficient and transparent. The criterion for approval that GM food must not present a danger to human health remains unchanged.

(1) Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC, OJ L 106, 17.4.2001.

(2) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997.

(3) OJ C 304 E, 30.10.2001.