New EU labeling rules spooks American food shippers
The European Union’s new labeling and traceability requirements for foods and feeds containing genetically modified ingredients has American processed food shippers concerned about their competitiveness among European consumers.
“These new requirements establish a serious trade barrier that will keep many U.S. food products out of the European market,” said John R. Cady, president and chief executive officer of the Washington-based National Food Processors Association, in a statement. “European consumers will see such labels on food products as ‘warning labels.’ “
Cady emphasized: “there is no safety or nutrition issue associated with the products of agricultural biotechnology on the market, and there are no scientific basis for requiring the labeling of biotech foods.”
The EU’s new labeling and traceability requirements for foods containing genetically modified ingredients became effective Sunday. Many American food shipper groups urge the World Trade Organization to take action against these EU regulations.
“Mandatory labeling should be based on the composition, intended use, and health and safety characteristics of a food product, not the ‘genetic process’ from which it was derived,” Cady said. “Moreover, the traceability requirements are a classic case of regulatory overkill, putting complex and detailed new requirements on food companies, with no benefit — but with added expense — for consumers.”