Brussels, November 3, 2009 – France is poised to become the latest in a
growing trend of European countries to introduce GMO-free labels for
food in a bid to counter weaker EU standards and to compensate for a
loophole in European labelling laws [1]. Currently, EU labelling laws
mean meat, dairy and eggs from animals fed with genetically modified
animal feed do not have to be labelled.

Helen
Holder, European GMO campaign coordinator at Friends of the Earth
Europe, said: “The current loophole in EU labelling laws is very handy
for the biotech industry, but not good for consumers who have no idea
that the meat, dairy or eggs they are eating come from factory farms
using genetically modified animal feed.”

The official French advisory body on GMOs, the Haut Conseil des
Biotechnologies (HBC), today advised the French government that a
GMO-free label should be based on a lower threshold than in EU
legislation [2]. The government is now expected to follow the Council’s
advice and to issue a proposal.

Helen Holder continued: “The French High Council’s advice is very
welcome. A growing number of member states are taking the initiative to
make sure that when consumers want GMO-free products, this is what they
really get. But this is not enough: an urgent change is needed at EU
level. GMO laws must include the mandatory labelling of meat, dairy and
eggs throughout the European Union.”

“The adoption of GMO-free labelling laws indicates the serious
commitment around Europe to ensure that food and crops remain
uncontaminated. It is also a strong message to farmers around the world
that Europe – one of the biggest global markets – wants GMO-free
products. They should listen to this rather than to the biotech
industry’s marketing spin.”

The European Commission is currently overseeing a major review of GMO
laws, to be completed in 2010. Friends of the Earth Europe is calling
for the labelling of all meat, eggs and dairy from animals fed with
genetically modified animal feed.

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For more information please contact:

Helen Holder, Coordinator of the Friends of the Earth Europe GMOs
campaign, +32 2 893 1029 or +32 4 74 857 638 (Belgian mobile), helen.holder@foeeurope.org

Francesca Gater, Francesca Gater, communications officer for Friends of
the Earth Europe, +32 2 893 1010 or + 32 4 85 930 515, francesca.gater@foeeurope.org

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Notes:

[1] EU legislation is based on a threshold of 0.9%. This means that any
product with GMO contamination under 0.9% does not have to be labelled
as containing GMOs, as long as this contamination can be proven to be
technically unavoidable or adventitious. The French advice today is for
a GMO free label based on 0.1%

[2] Germany, Austria and Italy also have labelling schemes on place and
the Irish government recently announced that they will adopt one.