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GMO-free labelling of food products

a way to increase GMO-free supplies for animal feed?

DOCUMENTATION

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament invites you to a conference on "How GMO-free labelling of food products can contribute to increase GMO-free supplies for animal feed", co-hosted by MEPs José Bové, Jill Evans and Bart Staes.

The conference will look at whether voluntary GMO-free labelling of food products can contribute to increase GMO-free supplies for animal feed, and under which conditions.

Food products that contain GMOs must be labelled in the EU. But this obligation has not been imposed on animal products from animals that have been fed with GMOs.
The consequence of this legal vacuum is that the food industry imports millions of tonnes of GMOs to feed EU animals without any information to the consumers. Besides, producers that do not want to use GMO feed, but are still dependent on soybean or maize imports, find it increasingly difficult and expensive to get GMO-free feed. For consumers' to have a real choice to avoid GMOs in their food, it is imperative to ensure sufficient availability of GMO-free supplies.

For a few years now, some Member States (Austria, France, Germany) have taken legislative steps to allow for GMO-free labelling, and some companies have begun labelling animal products.

During the conference, we will share some GMO-free producers' experiences, technical difficulties and results. We will also discuss the different EU laws on GMO-free labelling and how they are consistent. And look at the ways to speed up adoption of meaningful GMO-free labels in all EU countries.

The conference programme will include 2 panels:

  • Panel 1: GMO-free labelling: producers and consumers' perspectives, with panellists from the food chain.
  • Panel 2: GMO-free « regulators »: "How to encourage EU countries to adopt meaningful labelling measures?" with panellists from EU Member States regulatory authorities.

Full Programme

15:00
Introduction: GMO-Free labelling: Respect the right to choose of the consumers
Jill Evans MEP

15:15 - 16:45
PANEL 1: GMO-free labelling: producers and consumers' perspective. Experiences of GMO-free labelling in Austria, France, Germany and other EU countries: testimonies of producers on their successes, technical difficulties.

Moderation: Jill Evans MEP

Speakers:

  • Jérôme Bédier, Secrétaire Général, Carrefour; France.
  • Johannes Hegenberger, Milk Purchasing Department,, Zott, Germany
  • Bernhard Stoll, CEO, Raiffeisen Kraftfutterwerk Kehl GmbH, Germany
  • Ivo Mechels, Test-Achats, Belgium, member of BEUC

 Debate with the audience

16:45
Coffee Break

17:00 – 18:15
PANEL 2: GMO-free « regulators »: how to encourage EU countries to adopt meaningful labelling measures?

1) State of play and perspectives

Speaker:

  • Bart Staes, MEP

2) Comparison and compatibility of the existing national laws

Speaker:

  • Elta Smith, managing consultant, ICF GHK, London. Project manager for the DG SANCO ‘Study to assess existing GM-free labelling schemes in the EU and the need for harmonisation’

3) EC perspective

Speaker:

  • Ladislav Miko, European Commission

4) Perspectives for improvement

Moderation: Bart Staes

Speakers:

  • Eva-Claudia Lang, Austria, head of GMO section in the ministry of health and Austrian representative in SCFCAH
  • Rita Andorkó, Hungary, GMO expert at the ministry of rural development and Hungarian representative in SCFCAH
  • Andrzej Hałasiewicz, Poland, Expert for Rural Development in the Chancellery of the President
  • Anne Patault, Vice-President of the region of Bretagne, France

18:15
Conclusions and Perspectives

Speaker:

  • José Bové, MEP

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Responsible MEPs

José Bové
José Bové
Member
Jill Evans
Jill Evans
Member
Bart Staes
Bart Staes
Member

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