EU May Reconsider GM Labelling
Bridges Trade BioRes, Vol. 7 No. 3, 16 February 2007

On 8 February Greenpeace submitted a petition to EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou signed by one million EU citizens demanding compulsory labelling of milk, eggs, meat, and other products produced by animals fed with genetically modified crops. The EU currently requires processed foods to be labelled if they contain over 0.9 percent GM ingredients, however it leaves products derived from animals raised on GM feed from any labelling requirements.
More than 90 percent of the EU's imports of GM crops are used in animal feed. Feed manufacturers argue that the need to import feed materials makes it impossible to supply non- GM feed on a broad scale. Trading partners, notably the US, argue that any further restrictions would unfairly limit access to the European market.
Upon receiving the petition, Commissioner Kyprianou said "A petition supported by one million citizens shows strong interest in this issue. We will look into the matter again. We will look into the science ... to see if what is asked of us would be justified." Until now, The European Commission has not considered such labelling necessary.

Web Link: http://www.ictsd.org/biores/07-02-16/index.htm