Ref. Ares(2014)272204 - 05/02/2014
Ref. Ares(2016)7049618 - 19/12/2016
European Commission
Commissioner Tonio Borg
Commissioner Dacian Ciolos
Health and Consumers Directorate-General
B – 1049 Brussels
Berlin, 31/01/2014
OPEN LETTER
foodwatch online petition for clear and uniform labelling of genetic engineering,
your letter dated December 9th 2013
Dear Commissioners Borg and Ciolos, Dear
,
Thank you for your letter regarding our petition for the clear and uniform labelling of genetic
engineering. The petition has now been signed by almost 30.000 citizens who demand the mandatory
labelling of foodstuffs derived from farm animals fed with genetically modified feed.
The petition is focusing on a core question of consumers’ freedom of choice regarding GMOs:
“We demand that you ensure clear and uniform label ing of genetic engineering. So that we consumers
can finally have true freedom of choice, we demand that all animal-derived foods produced using
genetically modified animal feeds be label ed as such from now on!“
Sadly, in your answer you do not address this demand. Instead, you explain the legal status quo and
your unwil ingness to establish a true freedom of choice:
“The Commission considers it necessary to properly inform the consumers on the
presence of authorised GMOs in foodstuffs and feed, al owing them to make an informed
purchasing choice. The GMO legislation ensures that consumers are comprehensively
informed on the presence of GMOs in food and feed.”
Although you are pretending to respect consumers’ right to know and make well informed purchasing
choices, you explicitly ignore the fact that exactly this is not possible regarding GMO in the food-chain.
If it was, consumers would not have had to take action to cal for a mandatory labelling of all animal-
derived foods produced using genetically modified animal feeds.
1
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