In terms of food safety, genetically modified food and feed is principally covered by two Regulations which entered into force in April 2004. The first provides
the framework for the assessment and authorisation of GM food and feed at EU
level. All authorised GMOs are listed on a register available to the public, which is
maintained and regularly updated by the European Commission. The second deals with the labelling and traceability of GMOs once they have been authorised.
Before any GMO can be used or sold in the EU, it must be scientifically assessed and its safety verified. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides advice to the European Commission which, in consultation with the Member States, has to authorise a GMO before it can be imported, sold, processed or used for research in the EU. All GMO authorisations must be renewed on a ten-year basis. With regard to the labelling of GMOs, EU rules require all food and feed made
from GMOs to be marked with either “this product contains genetically modified organisms” or “produced from genetically modified (name of GM product)”. These labelling requirements also apply to food which was produced from GMOs, even if it no longer contains genetically modified
DNA or proteins – for example, oils from GM crops. The only exception to this
mandatory labelling is where there is only a tiny trace of GM material present, below a set minimum threshold. A series of traceability requirements are also laid down for anyone involved in the use or handling of GMOs for food and feed. For example, information on the presence, origin and destination of GMOs has to be recorded at every stage of production and marketing,
and retained for 5 years. This enables the rapid withdrawal of the product from the market if any problems arise. There is also separate environmental legislation in this area, designed to ensure that the deliberate release and use of GMOs in the EU does not pose any threat to the
environment or to biodiversity.