EU Passes Tough New Rules Biotech Crops

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
July 2, 2003
Filed at 8:46 a.m. ET

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The European Parliament passed two laws Wednesday
to replace a ban on new biotech foods with rules that would allow
genetically modified products if they are clearly labeled.

The 626-member EU assembly voted the two proposals through without major
changes, officials said, paving the way for quick adoption by EU
governments before the end of the year, lifting a seven-year freeze on the
introduction of new biotech foods.

The rules would force producers to trace all genetically modified organisms
at all stages of production and oblige supermarkets to label their products
clearly using the words, ``This product is produced from GMOs.''
Products containing more than 0.9 percent of biotech material will have to
be labeled.

The new laws, backed by EU governments, will also allow the 15 EU nations
to set their own rules to prevent seeds from farms growing GM crops blowing
on to fields of conventional or organic produce.

The United States has long pushed of the EU to drop its biotech ban, but
the new rules are unlikely to satisfy Washington, which says mandatory
labeling of biotech products will be too costly for exporters.

Washington has said the new laws would continue to constitute an unfair
trade barrier to the import of biotech products.

Environmentalists welcomed the vote. Greenpeace said it would give the EU
``the worlds strictest and most comprehensive rules on the labeling of
genetically modified organisms.''

The campaign group said the rules would enable skeptical European consumers
to continue to shun biotech products.

``This vote is a slap in the face of the U.S. administration, which thought
that by bullying ... Europe, and eventually others, would swallow its GMO
policy,'' said Eric Gall, Greenpeace EU adviser on genetic engineering.

``The EU has now adopted progressive legislation, which facilitates the
markets desire to identify and exclude (genetically engineered) ingredients.''

Backed by Canada and Australia, the United States says the EU's cautious
approach is based on unfounded health fears. The three have filed a
complaint with the World Trade Organization to force Europe to lift the
moratorium.

U.S. farmers estimate the European restrictions have cost them nearly
US$300 million a year in lost corn exports alone.

The moratorium on new biotech foods was introduced in 1998, in response to
consumer fears about the possible health risks genetically modified products.