WRITTEN QUESTION No. 184/99 by Hiltrud BREYER Food which does not contain genetically modified ingredients
Date: 1999-02-11
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: approximation of laws, competence of the Member States, foodstuff, genetically modified organism, human nutrition, labelling, marketing

3.12.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 348/31

The projects on transferability of BSE all started during 1998 and it is premature at this stage to

2.
anticipate their results.

3.

The overall budget allocated to these activities is approximately 7,6 million euro.

(1999/C 348/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0184/99

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(11 February 1999)

Subject: Food which does not contain genetically modified ingredients

Commissioner Bonino has stated on several occasions recently that the Commission favours the establishment
of a food sector, other than organic food, which is free from genetic engineering.

Will the Commission please explain:

1. What practical steps it is taking to encourage the development of such a market sector?

2. What financial support will be made available to assist in promoting this development?

3. What criteria it recommends to ensure that uses of genetic engineering in the cultivation or production

processes are excluded?

4. Whether, in accordance with recital 10 of the Novel Food Regulation 258/97 (1), the Commission will
bring forward a standardised form of wording for a label for products that contain no genetically
engineered substances?

(1) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 1999)

To date there are no specific rules governing cultivation and production ‘free of genetically modified organisms
(GMO)’ or the indication of such status on the labelling of foodstuffs for which it could be claimed.

However, the 10th recital of Regulation (EC) 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of
27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients states that ‘nothing shall prevent a
supplier from informing the consumer on the labelling of a food or food ingredient that the product in
question is not a novel food within the meaning of this Regulation or that the techniques used to obtain novel
foods indicated in Article 1(2) were not used in the production of that food or food ingredient.’ Consequently,
the option of voluntary labelling, specifying > in this case > to the ultimate consumer that the foodstuff is not
genetically modified or that it is free of GMO, is governed by the principles established in Council Directive 79/
112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the
labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer (1), and in particular the
principle that labelling must not be such as to mislead the consumer. Application of this principle falls within
the jurisdiction and responsibility of Member State authorities.

In fact, the Commission is currently examining the possibility of regulating at Community level the use of such
information, though it is unable at this stage to provide any further details on this matter.

(1) OJ L 33, 8.2.1979.