The European Parliament,

-  having regard to Directive 79/112/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs,

-  having regard to Directive 90/220/EEC on the Deliberate Release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the Environment,

-  having regard to its opinion of 14 May 1998(1) on the proposal for a Council regulation concerning the compulsory indication on the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms of particulars other than those provided for in Directive 79/112/EEC (COM(1998) 99 - C4-0227/1998 - 1998/0811(CNS) ),

-  having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 on the compulsory labelling of certain specified genetically modified foods and food ingredients,

-  having regard to Regulation (EC) No 258/97 on Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients,

-  having regard to the proposed Commission Regulation (PMC 1899) amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 and the proposed Commission Regulation (PMC 1900) on the labelling of foodstuffs and food ingredients containing genetically modified additives and flavourings,

-  having regard to Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission,

-  having regard to Rules 70(3) and 88(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas pursuant to the Treaties the legal basis for the two proposed Commission Regulations provides for codecision,

B.  whereas the impact of GMOs on the environment and human health has by no means been determined;

C.  whereas, with regard to the establishment of a de minimis threshold for adventitious presence of DNA or protein resulting from genetic modification, as foreseen in Regulation (EC) No 1139/98, the Commission has proposed a 1% maximum tolerance level for each ingredient or for food comprising a single ingredient but has not justified this figure,

D.  whereas the proposed Regulation (PMC 1899) setting such a threshold only applies to products of two specified lines of genetically modified soya and maize crops, either alone or in combination with other novel foods or novel food ingredients but does not extend to other such novel foods or novel food ingredients per se,

E.  whereas the labelling criteria established in Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 by reference to the presence of modified DNA or protein are still not legally applicable to all novel foods or novel food ingredients,

F.  whereas, in the absence of legislation dealing with genetically modified animal feed, much of the current usage of the two specified crop lines remains unregulated and unlabelled,

G.  whereas the Commission intends to bring forward a proposal for GMO-free labelling rules and whereas these must be consistent with current legislation,

H.  whereas consumers require a coherent, consistent and comprehensive approach to gene food labelling to guarantee confidence in their food purchasing decisions,

I.  whereas the Joint Research Centre, in consultation with other research institutes, should now continue its work on the validation of detection test methods for a level lower than 1%,

J.  whereas the proposed Regulation (PMC 1900) on labelling genetically engineered additives and flavourings does not provide for any specific risk assessment procedure equivalent to that contained in Directive 90/220/EEC or in the Novel Food Regulation;

K.  whereas the obligations to demonstrate non-use of GMOs as a source also need to be supplemented by data enabling the traceability of GMOs; whereas this would also assist the Commission and Member States in tackling the existing problem of illegal releases of unauthorised GMO products,

1.  Regards the current approach to legislation in this field as piecemeal, inconsistent in scope and lacking in vision; therefore invites the Commission to re-think its strategy and to re-present its proposals, including those for Novel Animal Feed and for a GMO-free label, in a way which is more coherent and provides consumers with certainty of choice on the one hand and gives industry a solid legal framework to work with on the other hand;

2.  Calls on the Commission to incorporate a strictly time-limited review clause in the Regulation, so that the maximum 1% content can be reviewed within 12 months in the light of relevant scientific and technical studies or opinions; calls further for such review to examine and where necessary improve the scope and operation of all related legislation on GM foodstuffs and derivatives, taking account also of the compatibility of this legislation with European rules on seeds;

3.  Calls on the Commission to come forward with a proposal for a negative list concerning products and ingredients in which DNA and protein from genetically modified organisms is considered no longer to be present as foreseen in the draft regulation;

4.  Strongly calls on the Commission to propose that in such a highly sensitive and controversial area as GM food regulation and labelling, the codecision procedure should apply to the adoption of these measures;

5.  Calls on the Commission to come forward rapidly with proposals for the labelling of GMOs in animal feed and products derived from animals reared on GMO feed;

6.  Calls on the Commission to clarify the definition of “adventitious” in this regulation;

7.  Calls on the Commission to clarify how this regulation will apply to pre-packed products containing GMOs imported into the European Union;

8.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council.

(1) OJ C 167, 1.6.1998, p. 187.