Germany: Grand Coalition reaches agreement on “without gene technology” label

(January 14, 2008) The Grand Coalition of SPD and CDU in Germany has agreed on more precise regulations for labels declaring foodstuffs to be “without gene technology”. As opposed to plans by the Minister for Agriculture, Horst Seehofer, the use of additives that have been produced with the aid of genetically modified micro-organisms would be allowed only under specific conditions.

Minister Seehofer repeatedly had announced the coming of less strict rules for such labelling, particularly with the aim of facilitating the appropriate labelling of meat, milk and eggs. The simple use of feed from conventional plants was due to suffice for the labelling of resulting foodstuffs as being “without gene technology”. Feed additives produced with the aid of genetically modified organisms were also due to be classified as being “without gene technology”.

Minister Seehofer’s plan received support from the SPD and from environmental and consumers’ groups, who praised such labelling rules as “practicable” and “transparent”. However, the minister received criticism from his own faction, who claimed that such labelling amounts to consumer fraud if goods declared to be “without gene technology” do not actually exclude all applications of gene technology from their production.

The Grand Coalition now has agreed to a compromise. Accordingly, additives produced using gene technology may be applied to goods classified as being “without gene technology”, provided that these additives are approved by the EU-Eco-Regulation and no “gene-technology-free” alternatives to such additives exist. As explained by CDU parliamentarian Peter Blesser, such criteria would be valid for feed additives such as vitamins, amino acids or enzymes. Such compounds are present as additives in many feed mixtures and the use of genetically modified microorganisms is widespread in their manufacture.

A public hearing on the planned regulation has been scheduled for 16 January, 2008 by the parliamentary committee for nutrition, agriculture and consumer protection. However, a concrete plan from the Seehofer ministry has yet to be presented.

See also on GMO-Compass:

• Ingredients and Additives
• Genetic Engineering: Feeding the EU's Livestock
• Additives, Vitamins, Amino Acids, Enzymes

Further information:

• Parliamentary committee for nutrition, agriculture and consumer protection: public hearing on the planned regulation (German)