Consumer confidence key to GMO acceptance in Europe

Food & Drink Weekly, Feb 16, 2004

"European consumers can now have confidence that any GM [genetically modified] food or feed marketed in Europe has been subject to the most rigorous pre-marketing assessment in the world," said David Byrne, EU's Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner. Speaking at the sixth annual meeting of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue, Byrne was referring to new EU legislation to be implemented in April that establishes an EU-wide system of labeling and traceability regulations for food and feed products containing, or derived from GM crops. "Europe will have a comprehensive and transparent system of authorization and labeling that can only enhance business and consumer confidence," Byrne said.

A primary focus of the European Commission has been the overhaul and modernization of the European food safety system, according to Byme. As that effort is nearing completion, the Commission "is now turning [its] attention towards the information that consumers receive through the labeling and advertising of foods," said Byrne. He listed several initiatives including a proposal to govern the use of health and nutrition claims, a proposal for regulation on the addition of vitamins, minerals and certain other substances, and a yet-to-be-adopted proposal on general nutrition labeling.

"It was certainly regrettable, to say the least, that at the moment we updated our regulatory framework in line with the latest scientific and international developments, Argentina, Canada, and the United States requested the establishment of a WTO panel [on GM rules]," Byrne said. However, he expressed confidence that the WTO will confirm that the EU "fully respects its obligations."