Vol. 492 No. 7
198 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children when he will commence the process of transposing the EU directive on genetically modified organisms labelling into Irish law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15262/98]
199 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will confirm that, under the terms of the EU directive on food labelling, up to 90 per cent of foods containing genetically modified organisms will not have to be so labelled due to the exemption afforded by the directive to the labelling of derivatives of genetically engineered crops; his views on whether it would be appropriate to transpose this measure into Irish law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15263/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together.
I presume that the Deputy refers to Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 of May 1998 concerning the compulsory indication of the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms of particulars other than those provided for in Directive 79/112/EEC. This regulation was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 3 June 1998 and it enters into force in every member state 90 days after its publication, that is, on 29 July 1998.
Regulation 1139/98 applies to the labelling of two genetically modified products and their derivatives, a genetically modified soya and a genetically modified maize, which were placed on the market in Europe before the coming into force of the novel foods regulation in May 1997, and which would have fallen within the scope of the novel foods regulation if it had been in force at the time.
Regulation 1139/98 provides that the specified foodstuffs be labelled unless neither protein nor DNA resulting from genetic modification is present. If a food contains a genetically modified organism, that food will have to fulfil the labelling requirements of the regulation as it contains genetically modified DNA. Highly refined derivatives of genetically modified products may be exempt from the additional labelling requirements of the regulation if they contain neither DNA nor protein resulting from genetic modification. A list of exempted products is to be drawn up taking account of technical developments, the opinion of the scientific committee on food of the European Union and any other relevant scientific advice.
