Malta in opposition with EU to allow unauthorised GM feed material
European Union officials Tuesday approved proposals to allow trace amounts of unauthorised genetically modified material in animal-feed imports.
The change in procedures “addresses the current uncertainty EU operators face when placing on the market feed based on imports of raw materials from third countries,” said Frederic Vincent, spokesman for the Health and Consumer Policy Ministry.
The measures are limited to GM feed material authorised for commercialisation in a third country and for which an authorisation procedure is pending in the EU, or of which EU authorisation has expired, Vincent said.
Opposition
Malta stood in opposition of this consent and voted against the Commission’s proposal.
Malta stood in opposition of this consent and voted against the Commission’s proposal.
The decision is so that member states will allow shipments to include traces of GM material of up to 0.1%.
Currently the European Union’s feed industry receives imports for 80% of its needs but the world’s largest suppliers, Argentina, the US and Brazil, and these countries are all cultivators of GM crops, making avoiding every trace of contamination very difficult.
There is hope (by campaigners in favour of GMO) that this new move will relay an effect of easing pressure on livestock producers, with regards to sky-high feed prices.
This decision is still to be approved by the EU Council and the European Parliament in three months’ time.
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