Brussels, 24/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) and Council tried once again on Wednesday 23 March to find agreement on the proposal for a revised regulation on novel foods updating and replacing Regulation 258/97, known as the novel foods regulation.
Their ninth and final trialogue meeting, which was to prepare the final conciliation committee meeting, which is scheduled to take place on 28 March, focused on the eternal issue of foodstuffs from cloned animals and their offspring (see EUROPE 10339) and the kind of powers to be granted to the EP for future updating of the list of novel foods (see EUROPE 10307). These talks allowed the Council to make a gesture in the direction of the Parliament on the most controversial issue: cloning. The Council, accused of intransigence and of not giving consideration to consumers, undertook to find a compromise which meets the concerns of consumers over food from cloned animals and their offspring. For this to happen, however, the compromise will have to be workable and consistent with international trade rules. Member states have made these two demands a sine qua non.
On this basis, and by way of concession, the Council proposes that the EU introduce a temporary ban on animal cloning for the purposes of food production, a ban on food from cloned animals whatever their origin and a temporary ban on all supply of clones for the purposes of food production. These temporary measures will come into effect immediately and will remain in application until separate comprehensive legislation on all cloning issues is adopted in the EU.
In addition, the Council proposes a traceability system for semen and embryos from cloned animals, and a traceability system for the live offspring of cloned animals.
The Council and the EP have four days in front of them to pursue discussions and come to a balanced agreement, the deadline for conciliation procedure being Tuesday 29 March. The Commission will, of course, also have to accept the agreement. (A.N./transl.rt)