Company agrees to label gene-modified rapeseed -EU

RTw 09.06.97 15:20


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BRUSSELS, June 9 (Reuter) - The European Commission said on Monday that two genetically modified rapeseed varieties developed by Plant Genetic Systems were approved for all uses after the company agreed to label the products.
"This unblocked the situation. It illustrates that labelling is important to get proposals approved," EU Commission environment spokesman Peter Joergensen said.
The two varieties, which were approved on Friday, are seeds of hybrid swede-rape derived from crosses of MS1 (B91-4) with RF2 (B94-2) and RFI (B93-101)
The Commission said in a statement that the Belgium-based company had given a pledge on labelling in a letter on April 23 to EU Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard.
"PGS has previously indicated its commitment to mention on the oilseed rape bags which will be sold to farmers that the seeds are improved by genetic modification," the Commission quoted the letter as saying.
New labelling rules requiring companies to show that their products "may contain or consist of genetically modified organisms" were approved by the EU Regulatory Committee on May 29 and will come into force on July 31, 1997.
Bjerregaard has asked companies which had requested approval of their GMO products before the new labelling rules were approved by the Commission on April 2 to voluntarily respect the new requirements.
"Most have responded positively," Joergensen said, declining to say whether these included any U.S. companies.

In addition to Plant Genetic Systems two rapeseed varieties, the following nine requests are pending.

-Peter Blackburn Brussels Newsroom +322 287 6830

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