Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-07-02-Speech-2-177"
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"en.20020702.7.2-177"2
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"Mr President, I was about to welcome my parents to the Chamber but as I was told I had to come back at 9 p.m., I do not know if they have made it back in yet. If they did not know much about GMOs before 3.45 p.m. they certainly know much more about them now.
This year the issue of GMs is hotly topical and controversial. It has been a key issue in the Scottish Parliament. In the Welsh Assembly there is talk about a GM-free Wales. Crop trials are presently being conducted in Scotland. One is presently under way in a small village in Munlochy, in the Black Isle, where the local community has even kept vigil at the site of an extensive trial. There is no getting away from this issue.
Food scares over the past decade have meant that consumers want to be sure that what they are eating is safe. Currently, fears about GM foods run high. Although the evidence suggests that GM foods are safe, people are unsure about the environmental impact and the obvious unknown. How do we reassure people over this issue? How do we make the waves – as Mrs Scheele said – on issues like these? Labels and traceability are one answer. The only way to gain the confidence of consumers is to offer a totally traceable, transparent and reliable information system. Traceability puts the burden of proof on the producer. Whether the threshold is 1% or 0.5%, if practicable, these are a step forward.
On the subject of labelling, people want as much information as is possible. This has to rest on quality information. The jury is out. A GM-free label has been talked about. There is a lot of potential there, but it can also mislead consumers because of accidental contamination. Rules for GM-free labelling exist in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, but food producers cannot guarantee that products are completely GM free. These products should not become a costly niche market. Mrs Scheele's comment on the subject is welcome.
This debate will continue. We cannot afford to let this opportunity to have proper, practical traceability and labelling of GMs pass us by. As an article in today's
says, we are at a crossroads. The vote tomorrow will determine the future of genetically modified food in Europe."@en1
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