The Genetically Modified and Novel Food (Labelling) (England) Regulations 2000 widen the scope of existing legislation on the labelling of foods containing GM soya and maize, and for the first time, will require the labelling of foods containing additives and flavourings from GM sources.
In a parliamentary answer, Baroness Hayman said:
"I have today laid in Parliament The Genetically Modified and Novel Food (Labelling) (England) Regulations 2000, which will come into force on 10 April. These Regulations make provision in England for the enforcement of the new European labelling requirements for GM foods, which will take effect automatically in all member states on 10 April as well as consolidating all earlier GM labelling provisions.
The first of these, EC Regulation 49/2000 amends Regulation 1139/98 on the labelling of foods containing GM soya and maize, to extend the scope of the requirements to include foods sold to catering establishments, and to establish a 1 per cent de minimis threshold for the adventitious contamination of non-GM material, below which labelling will not be required. The second, EC Regulation 50/2000 will require for the first time, the labelling of foods and food ingredients which contain GM additives and flavourings.
The Government is determined that consumers should be able to make informed choices about whether or not to eat genetically modified foods, and these new Regulations, will strengthen further the arrangements already in place for this purpose.
EC Regulation 49/2000 comes into force on 10 April 2000. The Regulation amends EC Regulation 1139/98 (on the labelling of foods containing GM soya and maize) to widen the scope of the labelling requirements to include foods sold to catering establishments, and to establish a 1 per cent de minimis threshold for the adventitious contamination of non-GM produce, below which it will not require labelling.
EC Regulation 50/2000 comes into force on 10 April 2000. The Regulation requires the labelling of foods and food ingredients containing additives and flavourings containing novel DNA or protein resulting from genetic modification.
EC Regulation 1139/98, requiring the labelling of foods containing GM soya or maize came into force on 1 September 1998. Enforcement of this Regulation was provided by way of the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (as amended; in particular by the Food Labelling (Amendment) Regulations 1999).
The Genetically Modified and Novel Food (Labelling) (England) Regulations 2000 draw together all the current domestic rules on GM food labelling. The Regulations provide for the enforcement in England of existing rules (EC Regulation 1139/98 and Article 8(1) of the EC Novel Foods Regulation); as well as providing for the enforcement in England of EC Regulations 49 and 50/2000. The domestic Regulation also provides flexible labelling arrangements for appropriate businesses, and penalties for non-compliance. Separate provisions will be made in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.