Guest guest Posted July 24, 2001 Report Share Posted July 24, 2001 - " The Campaign " <information <helensy Monday, July 23, 2001 1:20 PM CBS News + EU Labeling > News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods > ---- > > Dear Health Freedom Fighters, > > Two items: > > 1) CBS News will have a segment on genetically engineered foods today > (Monday) during their Evening News with Dan Rather. Their web site > states, " Our month-long series of Eye on America investigations and > updates looks at the next big battleground in the dispute over > genetically-modified foods. " > > 2) Posted below is an article from Associated Press titled " EU Discusses > Biotech Food Labeling. " Currently, only genetically engineered soy and > corn are required to be labeled in the 15 European Union countries: > http://www.thecampaign.org/eu1.htm > > However, soy and corn are the only products that do need to be labeled > in the EU since there has been a three-year moratorium in place against > importing any other genetically modified crops. Now there is an attempt > to remove the moratorium by expanding the labeling requirements to all > genetically engineered foods. > > It does not look like the attempt to remove the moratorium will be > successful, at least in the immediate future. And since no one wants to > buy products labeled as containing genetically modified soy or corn, > there are virtually no genetically engineered foods currently being sold > in the European Union countries. > > The article below will explain more about the recent attempt to remove > the moratorium and implement further labeling requirements. > > Craig Winters > Executive Director > The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods > > The Campaign > PO Box 55699 > Seattle, WA 98155 > Tel: 425-771-4049 > Fax: 603-825-5841 > E-mail: label > Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org > > Mission Statement: " To create a national grassroots consumer campaign > for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass > legislation that will require the labeling of genetically engineered > foods in the United States. " > > *************************************************************** > > EU Discusses Biotech Food Labeling > > By PAUL GEITNER > .c The Associated Press > > BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union's head office wants to allow > foods with trace amounts of genetically altered ingredients to escape > new labeling requirements, an idea criticized Monday by some politicians > and consumer groups. > > The proposals, to be taken up by the European Commission on Wednesday, > would expand tracing and labeling requirements as part of a push to end > the EU moratorium that has angered U.S. exporters and hamstrings > European biotech companies. > > However, one article in the draft would exempt products that may have > picked up trace amounts of genetically modified material during > harvesting, transport or processing. > > The exact level has yet to be determined but may be ``no higher than 1 > percent,'' according to the draft seen by The Associated Press. > > Producers also must be able to show that the traces were ``technically > unavoidable,'' and the material must have been approved in a third > country for use in food. > > German Environment Minister Renate Kunast attacked that idea Monday > during a visit to Brussels, insisting the current system of ``zero > tolerance'' was the safest course. > > EU officials call that an impossibly unrealistic goal in today's > mechanized food-processing industry. > > The United States currently does not require any labels for products > with gene-altered ingredients. > > But genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are highly unpopular in > Europe, where they are often referred to as ``Frankenstein foods'' in > news headlines. > > Despite assurances from producers, surveys show most Europeans see them > as a health hazard, and recent scares about mad cow and foot and mouth > diseases have only heightened sensitivity to food safety. > > The Commission's proposed new rules for GMOs would tighten regulations > in one area to require labeling even if genetically altered material can > no longer be detected. > > Current regulations do not require labeling in cases such as, for > example, where oil made from genetically altered corn or soybeans is > used for cooking another product and the proteins and DNA are broken > down by high temperatures. > > EU Health Commissioner David Byrne is backing labeling in such cases > despite resistance from industry groups, according to an EU source who > spoke on condition of anonymity. > > ``It's the only way we think consumers will have confidence,'' the > source said. > > Jim Murray, director of the European Consumers Organization, called the > proposals ``overall a good thing,'' although he expressed hesitancy > about allowing trace amounts of GMOs to go unlabeled. > > ``We're prepared to look at it,'' he said, adding that a final judgment > depended on how the proposal develops when it is sent to the European > Parliament and national governments for approval. > > That process will probably take a year or more, meaning no new rules > until 2003 at the earliest. > > The Commission's proposals are intended to implement rules approved in > February by the European Parliament that would enable the lifting of a > 3-year-old moratorium on approving new GMOs in Europe. > > Commission officials say the ban has led to Europe's biotech industry > falling behind that of the United States and exposed the EU to industry > lawsuits. > > However, several EU governments want provisions in the new rules to hold > GMO makers liable for any damages they may cause to public health or the > environment with such organisms. > > That means the moratorium may well remain in effect, since EU > governments would have to sign off on any new product the proposed new > European Food Agency clears for approval. > > Those who remain opposed - France, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg > and Greece - have enough votes to block them. > > AP-NY-07-23-01 1242EDT > > > <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> > * To remove yourself from this mailing list, point your browser to: > http://inbound.postmastergeneral.com/remove?TheCampaign:12 > * Enter your email address (helensy) in the field > provided and click " Un " . The mailing list ID is " TheCampaign:12 " . > > OR... > > * Forward a copy of this message to TheCampaign.12 > with the word remove in the subject line. > <TheCampaign.12?subject=remove> > > This message was sent to address helensy > X-PMG-Recipient: helensy > <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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