Labelling of Genetically Modified Organisms in a Series of European Union Member States

摘要

The question of genetically modified organisms is quite controversial at the level of the European Union. The European officials are trying to create a legal framework, as exhaustive as possible, for this field, in order to eliminate any consumer health-related worry. Through its institutions, the European Union has enforced legislation concerning the following aspects: traceability, labelling, authorization procedures, monitoring, supervision, testing etc. According to the 2001/18/EC Directive on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms, Regulation (EC) no. 1829/2003 and Regulation (EC) no. 1830/2003, the GMOs, as well as the food products and the fodder comprising GMOs, represent or comprise GMOs which have to be labelled accordingly, in order to guarantee an informed choice. All the European Union member states have implemented community regulations in the national legislation, with few legal differences in the field.