Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-07-02-Speech-2-171"
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"en.20020702.7.2-171"2
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"Mr President, I am pleased that today's debate has been framed as a joint debate on issues of food and feed safety. While the very mention of the term "GMO" is enough to grab media attention, it is important that we put things in perspective.
We are dealing with this matter as part of a general concern for the welfare of consumers against a background of recent scares related to food and animal feeds. I believe it is important to get away from the emotive aspects of the debate and focus on our role as European legislators, which is to guarantee consumers that we have put a legal framework in place that guarantees the best quality and the safest products. In addition, they should have the clearest and fullest information about every food product they consume so that they can make informed choices.
It is important that legislators listen to all sides and get the balance right, guided by the unassailable principle of safe food for our citizens. In this respect I believe the Commission has, on the whole, made a very balanced proposal. There must be labelling and transparency. There must be guidelines regarding ingredients.
I am unable to support a series of amendments that seek to go further than is necessary. Many of the amendments adopted in committee would place the European agriculture industry at a considerable disadvantage
our trading partners, not to mention running the risk of falling foul of our WTO commitments. At the end of the day we should avoid complications that bring no tangible benefit to our consumers and only give ammunition to those who argue that the EU creates burdensome over-regulation.
Providing full information means that consumers have choice. If consumers wish to purchase food derived from animals which were not fed on GM feed, then they can do so via the organic route. Let us face reality and base our decisions on scientific considerations. In the future it is likely that more and more animal feed will be derived from GM crops. I believe that the safeguards are in place to guarantee that these feedstuffs will all have been tried and tested before they enter the food chain.
If a consumer decides to avoid such products, that is his or her right. It is our responsibility to provide them with the information to make this choice. It would be wrong to give in to attempts to demonise GM foods and feedstuffs. Let us listen to sound scientific advice and trust in our own food safety system, which I believe is second to none."@en1
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