Trilogue negotiations between the EU institutions resulted in the removal of these important safeguards, a decision which Parliament must reverse

Ahead of the crucial vote in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI Committee), leading retail companies, including several Demeter (Biodynamic Federation) members, are calling for improvements to the draft legislation on new genomic techniques (new GM techniques, NGTs): labelling must be ensured right through to the end product, traceability must be guaranteed throughout the value chain, and European farmers and breeders must be protected from patents.

An alliance of European food retailers comprising REWE Group, Alnatura, Denree, dm-drogerie markt, EcorNaturaSì (Italy) and Odin (Netherlands) has joined a call from around 350 companies across the value chain, issuing a joint letter demanding improvements to the current draft regulation on NGTs.

Kerstin Erbe, managing director of dm Brands, said, "Transparent labelling of genetically modified foods is essential for consumers, as well as for all stakeholders involved in the supply chain. As retailers, we therefore urge the Members of the European Parliament to enshrine this very reasonable demand in law."

Fausto Jori, managing director of EcorNaturaSì, said, "Organic farming will continue to exclude the use of genetic engineering in the future. However, to ensure that all European consumers and farmers can decide for themselves whether to accept NGTs in their fields and in their food, the European Parliament must urgently tighten the rules: labelling right through to the end product and protection against patents are absolute minimum requirements."

The retail companies warn that the current compromise, negotiated between the EU institutions, undermines functioning and transparent food markets. Against this backdrop, the food retailers are calling on the members of the Environment Committee to return to the European Parliament’s original position. To adequately protect consumers and farmers, the Parliament had originally called for:

* mandatory labelling and traceability for all NGT products
* effective protection against patents on plants and seeds

Following the Parliament’s stance, the trilogue negotiations between the EU institutions resulted in the removal of these important safeguards, a decision which Parliament must now urgently reverse.

Ute Rönnebeck, Board Member of Demeter e.V., said, "We very much welcome the fact that our members in the retail sector are standing alongside European consumers, the overwhelming majority of whom want labelling of NGTs as well. We now hope that the European Parliament will also act in the interests of consumers."

The full letter is here. 

Background

The vote in the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament was originally scheduled for 5 May but was postponed at short notice. It will probably take place in early June now and be followed by a vote in plenary. MEPs still have the opportunity to table amendments both ahead of the committee and the plenary vote to re-introduce the essential safeguards adopted by the Parliament before the negotiations on the proposal are considered as final.

Source: Biodynamic Federation Demeter International

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