WRITTEN QUESTION E-2746/00 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Information concerning the revision of Directive 90/220/EEC on genetically modified organisms.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: amendment of a law, consumer protection, genetically modified organism, marketing, public health

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/7

According to Article 8 of Council Directive 98/58/EC of 20 July 1998 concerning the protection of
animals kept for farming purposes (2), the Commission should submit a report to the Council on certain
provisions on the protection of farm animals in the Community and in third countries. This report will
include appropriate proposals for obtaining wider acceptance of the Community principles related to farm
animal welfare.

(1) Doc. G/AG/NG/W/19.
(2) OJ L 221, 8.8.1998.

(2001/C 163 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2746/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Information concerning the revision of Directive 90/220/EEC on genetically modified organisms

On Thursday, 13 July 2000, the Commission issued press release IP/00/778 which announced broader
access for genetically modified organisms (foodstuffs, seeds and pharmaceutical products) to the European
market.

Since the revision of Directive 90/220/EEC (1) is currently the subject of negotiations between the
1.
Council and the European Parliament, can the Commission indicate what authority it possesses to
anticipate the definitive adoption of the revised Directive, as is set out in the press report referred to
above?

2.
Can the Commission explain why it decided to release the press report immediately after the last
meeting of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy before the summer
recess?

3.
Does the Commission agree with me that the suspicion of a (cid:145)hi-jack(cid:146) is justified, since its aim appears
to be to try to avoid the possibility of a direct negative response from the Committee on the Environment,
Public Health and Consumer Policy?

4. Would the Commission agree with me that it would be better for the democratic process if the
Commission issued such announcements initially to selected MEPs instead of to journalists?

5.
Given that public opinion in the Member States is increasingly afraid that non-genetically-engineered
plants will be ousted and/or altered, with implications for public health which are incalculable, what is the
Commission(cid:146)s opinion of the room for manoeuvre which the governments of the Member States of the
European Union will have available to take account of that opinion, once the Commission plan has been
implemented?

To what extent is the Commission(cid:146)s plan influenced by pressure from the United States of America
6.
(comparable with what happened with respect to (cid:145)hormone-treated meat(cid:146) and (cid:145)hushkits(cid:146)) and by fears of a
trade boycott?

(1) OJ L 117, 8.5.1990, p. 15.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Deliberate release and placing on the market of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is covered by
Council Directive 90/220/EEC of 23 April 1990 that is currently under revision. Due to several factors no
authorisations have been granted for a certain time for the commercial release of GMOs. The different
options to overcome this situation were discussed at a meeting in the Commission on 12 July 2000. The
Commission, following its meeting, presented a strategy for an interim approach to restore confidence in
GMO approval process. This approach includes a proposal to apply the key provisions of the revised
directive on the release of GMOs in the environment to all new GMO approvals after agreement on its
content has been reached.

C 163 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

The approach of the Commission revolves around the application of a revised Directive 90/220/EEC
1.
prior to transposition into national law. This firstly requires that the Parliament and Council can agree on
a final text during conciliation and adopt a revised directive. If this is the case, then Member States will
have a further 18 months to transpose the revised directive into national law. It is only after this interim
period that the Directive would enter fully into force. The approach of the Commission aims to address
this interim period. This approach builds on the initiative taken by some companies which had already
indicated to the Commission their willingness to include, as part of
their applications, voluntary
commitments that go beyond the existing requirements under Directive 90/220/EEC.

The orientations agreed by the Commission at its meeting on 12 July 2000, were transmitted to
2. to 4.
the Parliament,
through the Committee on the environment, public health and consumer policy,
immediately following the Commission meeting, as is normal practice. Those orientations were transmitted
to the press in press release IP/00/78. Further information to Parliament was the subject of numerous
phone conversations and regular contacts with the Environment committee and the Secretariat which
resulted in both Commissioners responsible for the environment and for consumer protection attending
a special meeting of the Environment committee on 24 October, to present the GMO strategy.

The objective of the Commission(cid:146)s initiative of 12 July 2000 is to re-launch the authorisation
5.
procedure for GMOs on the basis of voluntary commitments by the notifiers to apply the new
requirements of the revised directive. These provisions should ensure a high level of protection for
human health and the environment and,
the authorisation procedure is based upon
in any case,
a comprehensive assessment of risks to human health and the environment and where necessary the
opinion of the scientific committees is sought to validate the scientific basis. This initiative from the
Commission should make it possible for Member States to act on a different and stronger basis in the
regulatory committee, as well as in the Council, while restoring the confidence of consumers and trading
partners.

6.
There is a need to re-establish confidence in the approval system and to allow consumers to choose
for themselves whether they want products containing GMOs or not. Against this background, a frame-
work for the authorisation and control of GMOs that
is reliable and safe for consumers and the
environment will be provided in the revised Directive 90/220/EEC. The Commission is ready to take the
political leadership and has now proposed to apply (cid:129) together with the Member States (cid:129) the provisions
of this new framework before their final transposition into national legislation and thus to take forward
the debate on GMOs in the Community.

This initiative proposed by the Commission is not influenced by any single interest group or party, but is
a first step towards a more constructive and responsible strategy on GMOs. A strategy that implies
dialogue with all interested parties (cid:129) consumers, agriculture, industry, non-governmental organisations,
science, governments, European institutions and trading partners (cid:129) is maintained. The objective of this
initiative is to resume the authorisation process for GMOs whilst addressing public concerns on GMOs as
well as problems of legal uncertainty for those concerned. In this way the Commission wants to give a clear
response to political and legal concerns over GMOs that favours consumer choice and legal certainty.

(2001/C 163 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2779/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Article 14 Committee

Will the Commission please indicate the remit of what is known as the Article 14 Committee and list its
members by name and function? When, and how often, does it meet?