Luxembourg, June 26: Tough new controls on genetically-modified (GM) foods have been agreed by the European Union following public fears about their safety. The decision means that the EU is unlikely to authorise any new genetically modified crops before 2002, German Environment Minister Juergen Trittin said. The new measures include: o Stricter risk assessments before GM products are licensed o Better labelling o Continued monitoring of GM foods once on the market o New GM foods approved for sale will have to apply for re-approval after 10 years.Environment ministers agreed to the new controls after 20-hours of negotiations in Luxembourg. But the proposal still has to be passed by the European Parliament, which could take at least a year. The ministers also agreed, for the first time, to begin a formal study into the ethics of producing GMOs.
UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher said the decision had taken "many hours of anguished negotiation". "No-one can now, and in the future,seriously argue that the regulatory procedures are not tight, comprehensive and balanced and in my opinion very effective,'' he added. "The question of a liability regime will be looked at and this will determine who will be responsible if things go wrong."
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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