WRITTEN QUESTION P-4049/03 by Francesco Speroni (NI) to the Commission. GM products.
Date: 2004-01-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: catering industry, consumer information, foodstuff, foodstuffs legislation, genetically modified organism, labelling

C 78 E/904

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

It is in the light of these principles that the competent national authorities should examine cases where
there are differences in fees for admission to tourist sites, such as those mentioned in the question by the
Honourable Member, and should take the appropriate measures on the basis of the particular features of
each situation in order to avoid discrimination between nationals of the various Member States.

(2004/C 78 E/0955)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4049/03

by Francesco Speroni (NI) to the Commission

(7 January 2004)

Subject: GM products

Is there any rule requiring establishments serving food to the public to indicate the use of products
containing GM substances when the latter exceed the threshold laid down by the relevant legislation?

If not, does the Commission consider that legislation imposing such a requirement should be introduced in
the interests of fair trading and food safety?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2004)

Neither the Community legislation in force (1) nor the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (2),
which will apply from April 2004, include any obligation on restaurants or mass caterers to label as such
foods obtained from, or containing ingredients obtained from, genetically modified organisms.

The new rules on labelling of foods containing GM material, and in particular Article 12(1) of Regulation
(EC) No 1829/2003, apply to foods delivered as such to final consumers or mass caterers. This means they
apply only to foods which are delivered by mass caterers to consumers in their original state; on the other
hand, the labelling obligations do not apply to foods subjected to processing or preparation.

Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 provides the possibility of adopting,
through the
committee procedure, specific rules concerning the information to be provided by mass caterers supplying
food to final consumers. As yet, no such action has been taken.

The broader question of the information to be provided to consumers by catering establishments is being
addressed as part of the general review of food labelling legislation.

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 49/2000 of 10 January 2000 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1139/98
concerning the compulsory indication on the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced by genetically modified
organisms of particulars other than those provided for in Directive 79/112/EEC, OJ L 6, 11.1.2000.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on

genetically modified food and feed (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L 268, 18.10.2003.

(2004/C 78 E/0956)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4050/03

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Proposal for a directive concerning credit for consumers

(7 January 2004)

1.
Could the Commission state its position on the appropriate level of harmonisation? Does the
Commission accept that its approach of full harmonisation is not appropriate to the EU context and causes
unnecessary problems in some Member States?