WRITTEN QUESTION E-2405/02 by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. GMO traceability in imported goods.
Date: 2002-08-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: animal nutrition, customs inspection, food inspection, import restriction, labelling, traceability, transgenic plant

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/233

(2002/C 309 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2405/02

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 August 2002)

Subject: GMO traceability in imported goods

The European Parliament recently voted on ‘GMOs: traceability and labelling’ and ‘Food safety: genetically
modified food and feed’. The Parliament voted for all GM food and feed products to be labelled and to be
traceable irrespective of whether they contain modified DNA/protein or not.

Please could you inform me:

(cid:1) Do all EU countries currently test foods and raw materials for unapproved GMOs at the point of
import? For example, do customs and excise offices of Member States have DNA samples from all the
GM crops unapproved in the EU?

(cid:1) Will relevant samples and information to detect GMOs not approved in the EU (but cultivated

elsewhere) be distributed to the customs officers of member nations?

(cid:1) If non-EU governments or biotech companies are not prepared (because of commercially confidential
and intellectual property regulations) to provide the necessary information about GMOs grown outside
the EU, and not approved in the EU, then would the EU’s response be to ban all suspect imports?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2002)

The development and validation of detection methods for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and
GMO-derived products have been recognised by the Commission as an important element
for the
implementation in Member States of Community legislation ensuring the safe use and appropriate labelling
of these products. As foreseen by the EC Treaty the responsibility for enforcement and control lies within
each Member State.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the Commission is co-ordinating a network of competent authorities
and laboratories from the Member States. The main objective of this network is to provide enforcement
laboratories with appropriate reference samples and with validated test protocols to improve the existing
protocols and to promote harmonisation in the development of test methods and in the interpretation of
the data generated by them.

Tests are available in Member States to distinguish between EU-approved and non-approved GMOs (see
answer to Written Question P-1446/2001 by Mrs Breyer (1)). Access to DNA samples and reference
materials for Community non-approved GMOs is more difficult.

This is the reason why the European Community has been advocating strongly the development and
exchange of testing methods and reference materials at the international level.

The implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (the scope covers Living Modified Organisms
inter alia provide for a further
(LMOs) used as raw materials, but not processed food or feed) will
mechanism for the exchange of such information. The CODEX Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on
Foods Derived from Biotechnology recommended that a world-wide register or depository containing
relevant information on methods for the detection or identification of foods or food ingredients derived
from biotechnology as well as the availability of reference materials should be established. A list of
methods validated by inter-laboratory studies has meanwhile been established as a result of an inquiry by a
Working Group on Analytical Methods under the chairmanship of Germany. Furthermore, the JRC has
decided to host a database on all methods (including non-validated methods) for the detection and
identification of GMO reported by Codex member countries in order to make this information accessible
to all interested parties via the Biosecurity Portal of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the
World Health Organisation (WHO).

C 309 E/234

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

the JRC is in the process of negotiating material

transfer agreements with the major
Furthermore,
companies to provide validated methods for Community approved and Community non-approved GMO
varieties to all inspection authorities and to provide certified reference materials not only to inspection
authorities but to all operators in the food chain, such as for instance importers of seed, food and feed.

Shipments, whether imported or Community-produced, cannot be rejected a priori on suspicion. It is the
Member States’ responsibility to carry out controls on a case-by-case basis and to follow-up as appropriate.
Member States have reported that samples from imported GMOs have been taken and in cases where non-
approved GMOs have been found these imports have been rejected.

(1) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001.

(2002/C 309 E/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2416/02

by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 August 2002)

Subject: Transportation of horses

Every year thousands of horses are transported to Member States from Central and Eastern Europe and
South America. Animal welfare organisations such as the International League for the Protection of Horses
and Viva have amassed a considerable amount of evidence showing that horses are being treated in a cruel
manner and that EU regulations on the transportation of live animals are being ignored.

What action has the Commission taken to ensure that these regulations are being enforced? Can the
Commission give assurances that the treatment of horses in transit is being treated with the same degree of
seriousness as the more publicised issue of live cattle transportation?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2002)

The Commission is aware of the welfare problems raised by the import of horses for slaughter in the
Union. This question was specifically mentioned in the Commission report (1) adopted in December 2000.

Day-to-day enforcement of Community legislation is the responsibility of Member States. The Commission
is in charge of ensuring that the Member States are carrying out their duties in this regard.

The inspectors of the Food and Veterinary Office of the Commission have implemented several inspections
in this area and they continue to regularly monitor the situation.

Furthermore, the Commission report on animal transport indicated a number of deficiencies with the
current Community legislation. In this framework the Commission will adopt in the current year a
proposal concerning the protection of animals during transport. One of the aims of the proposal will be to
introduce additional measures for the protection of horses.

In addition, since horses are travelling long distances before reaching the borders of the Union the
Commission, in May 2001, proposed to candidate countries a plan for short-term improvement specifically
addressed to the transport of horses. In October 2001 Slovenia implemented most of the Community rules
in this regard and other candidate countries have taken initiatives in a similar direction.