EC questions if US biotech food regulations adequate
WASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The European Commission on Friday
expressed concern about whether U.S. regulations are adequate to stop
bioengineered grains from getting into exports to nations concerned
about gene-spliced foods. John Richardson, deputy chief of the EC
delegation in Washington, said there were fresh questions about
American regulations following the recent U.S. recall of taco shells
and flour containing a variety of biotech corn which had not been
approved for human consumption. The EC is concerned whether any U.S.
foods exported to Europe contain the same type of yellow corn, known
to farmers by its brandname StarLink.
Britain, France, Italy and more than two dozen other nations around
the world prohibit the sale of foods containing biotech ingredients
unless they are clearly labelled for consumers. American green groups
have pushed for similar regulations in the United States, saying not
enough is known yet about the long-term effects of gene-spliced
foods. U.S. agribusiness and industry groups oppose tighter
regulations, contending that a longstanding U.S. government policy
recognizes bioengineered foods as safe and no different from
conventional ones. StarLink, made by Aventis SA , was approved by
U.S. regulators for animal feed only and not for human consumption
because of government scientists' unresolved questions about whether
it might be an allergen for some people.
The EC was to hold talks later on Friday with U.S. government
officials about the StarLink contamination, Richardson told a
briefing on a variety of trade issues. "Part of the basis on which
U.S. genetically-modified products are exported to Europe...is the
understanding the United States has the ability to distinguish
between non-approved products and approved products," he said. "What
this whole discussion throws up is whether, in fact, the U.S. has
that ability (and) whether the U.S. system is working," he added.
Last week, a senior Clinton administration official said the United
States was making headway against European resistance to genetically
modified crops.
Alan Larson, a State Department undersecretary for business and
agriculture, told an Iowa food conference that he believed there was
a growing unease in Europe with green groups that have lobbied for
strict biotech regulations. The United States is the world's biggest
producer of gene-altered soybeans, corn, squash and other crops.
American exports of grain to Europe have dropped because of European
consumers' resistance to biotech foods.
Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.