EP’s environment committee votes for labelling of GMOs
Brussels, June 5, 2002 – Friends of the Earth welcomes the decision by the Environment Committee of the European Parliament this morning to extend the labelling obligations for food- and feed-products derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Friends of the Earth Campaigner Geert Ritsema said: “This is a vote for common sense, food-safety and the environment. But most of all this vote acknowledges the right of consumers to know whether their food is produced from GMOs.”
The Environment Committee decided to confirm the European Commission’s proposal to label all food that is produced directly from GMOs. Moreover, the Parliamentarians went one step further. They amended the Commission’s proposal and called for the labelling of products (like milk, eggs and meat) that are derived from animals raised on GMO-feed. The Environment Committee also deleted the Articles from the Commissions’s proposal that would allow up to a threshold of 1 % the adventitious presence of unauthorized GMOs in food and feed.
In July the plenary (all 626 members) of the European Parliament will vote on the labelling of GMOs. Friends of the Earth strongly appeals to all Parliamentarians to follow today’s vote and do what is good for consumers and the environment.
For more details, contact:
Friends of the Earth Europe
Geert Ritsema
European GMO Campaigner
Phone: 00-32-2-542 01 82
Mobile: 00-31-6-290 05 908
