Brussels, 22/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - EU 27 experts at the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and the Commission held a debate for the first time on 22 September on the impact of the European Court of Justice ruling on 6 September. The ECJ's decision rules out the marketing, without prior authorisation, of honey contaminated by MON 810 maize (EUROPE 10447).
Frédéric Vincent, the spokesman for Commissioner John Dalli, explained that “this was a general discussion that enabled member states to join the debate on the legal, commercial and possibly regulatory consequences of the ruling”. The questions raised focus on traceability (is it necessary to test honey entering the EU, in the knowledge that there is currently no systematic test or uniform method for detecting the presence of pollen?); coexistence rules that some member states (such as Spain) do not have; the future of experimental GMO crops in unprotected fields; the opportunity or not of having a specific European regulation on honey. The debate will continue. The spokesman indicated that “the Commission has begun consultations with honey producers, NGOs and the agri-food industry and will hold discussions with China and Argentina”.
Out of the 340,000 tonnes of honey consumed every year in the EU, 140,000 tonnes are imported. (AN/transl.fl)