Proposed rules on organic food products sent back to Agriculture Committee
Posted by Susan Ponsolle on 04-30-07MEPs voted for stricter rules on organic food products by calling for the maximum allowable figure for accidental contamination by GMOs to be reduced to 0.1%. However, they decided not to vote on a final resolution winding up the matter since the European Commission refuses to grant Parliament the right of co-decision on the legislation. The report was therefore sent back to the EP Agriculture Committee for reconsideration.
The House voted by 585 votes to
35, with 38 abstentions, for the regulation to be
made subject to the EP-Council co-decision procedure
since it covers the production and distribution of
processed food in the single market (which comes
under co-decision) and not just agricultural produce
(which comes under the consultation procedure).
Faced with the Commission's refusal to change the
legal basis of the regulation, Parliament decided
to give itself more time to convince the Commission
by referring the matter back to its Agriculture Committee
(an option available under Rule 53 of the EP's Rules
of Procedure). Under the consultation procedure,
the Council cannot adopt its position until Parliament
has decided on its own stance through a plenary vote.
Nevertheless, MEPs were keen to send a strong political
message by voting today on a number of amendments
that significantly strengthen the Commission's proposal
in various ways, notably on the question of GMOs.
"
No" to contamination by GMOs
The Commission's plan is not to allow any food products
to be legally sold as "organic" if they
contain GMOs, unless they have been contaminated
accidentally and even then only up to the current
Community threshold of 0.9% of GMOs allowed for conventional
food.
However, by 324 votes to 282, with 50 abstentions,
MEPs today backed an amendment seeking to reduce
the threshold to 0.1% in the case of organic products.
They also called, by a narrow majority, for the Commission
to propose by 1 January 2008 a directive providing
for precautionary measures to prevent GMO contamination
throughout the food chain, with clear rules on liability
and application of the "polluter-pays" principle.
Parliament also voted to spell out more clearly the
fact that there is a ban on "GMOs and products
produced from or with GMOs" in organic farming,
and that there are no exceptions, even for veterinary
medicinal products. MEPs also say that only organically
produced seed and propagating material which has
been proved to be GMO-free should be used and that
operators should "take all appropriate steps
to avoid any contamination with GMOs" and "supply
evidence that no contamination has taken place".
Stricter standards and limited derogations
Members adopted amendments laying down stricter rules
for the use of plant-health products and veterinary
treatments as well as national derogations thereto.
They also want Member States to be allowed to apply
stricter national rules if they wish.
Logos and labelling particulars
Parliament believes the European logo (to be used
for food where 95% of the ingredients are organic)
should be compulsory on such products, not just an
option, so that consumers throughout the EU can recognise
products which comply with Community standards.
However, MEPs voted to drop the letters "EU" from
the term "EU-ORGANIC", which the Commission
wanted to make compulsory. They argue that this term
may be confusing for consumers, leading them to believe
that the product originates in the EU, whereas it
may come from a third country. For similar reasons
Parliament calls for labels to indicate the country
of origin of a product.
Tightening up controls, including those on imports
Parliament stresses that national control bodies
should be accredited in line with European standards.
In addition, Member States must ensure that their
inspection systems enable products to be traced through
all stages of production, preparation and distribution,
so as to guarantee consumers that organic products
have been produced in line with the new rules.
An up-to-date list of control authorities and approved
control bodies must be made available to interested
parties. Moreover, operators from non-EU countries
must be in a position to provide importers or national
authorities with documentary evidence issued by a
competent Community control body.
Rules must apply to catering industry too
MEPs argue that the regulation should cover the catering
industry (take-aways, canteens, restaurants and similar
service providers). And, in addition to the production,
processing, packaging and labelling of products,
the new rules should cover "conditioning",
manufacture and storage.
However, Parliament backed a number of amendments
seeking to exclude fisheries products from the regulation,
saying that special legislation should be introduced
for products from organic fish farms.
Source: EU Press
Write a comment