Council Minutes, 17-18 March 2003

GM FOOD - Adoption of Common Position on two Regulations (GM food and feed / traceability and labelling)

The following are extracts from the Agriculture and Fisheries Council Minutes:

Genetically modified food and feed

The Council adopted by qualified majority - the Luxembourg, Austrian and United-Kingdom delegations voting against - a Common position with a view to the adoption of Regulation on genetically modified food and feed (doc. 5204/03 + 6780/03 ADD1). The aim of this proposal is to guarantee a high level of protection for human life and health, animal health, the environment and consumers' interests as regards genetically modified food and feed, while ensuring that the internal market functions properly; It also establish clear and transparent Community procedures to assess, authorise and monitor genetically modified food and feed and a system for the labelling of genetically modified food and feed. In accordance with the co-decision procedure, the common position will be forwarded to the European Parliament for a second reading.

Traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

The Council adopted a Common position on a proposal for a Regulation concerning the traceability and labelling of GMOs and of food and feed products produced from GMOs (doc. 15798/02 + doc. 6903/03 ADD1). The Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Danish delegations were unable to support the common position. In accordance with the co-decision procedure, the common position will be forwarded to the European Parliament for a second reading. The proposed Regulation is aimed at amending certain aspects of Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of GMOs. It aims to establish a framework for the traceability of products consisting of or containing GMOs, and food and feed derived from GMOs, with the objective of facilitating accurate labelling, monitoring of the effects on the environment and, where appropriate, on human health. Moreover, it aimed at facilitating the implementation of appropriate risk management measures including, if necessary, withdrawal of products from the market.