Certification for Chinese rice products to stop unauthorised GMO from entering the EU
Dated: 18 February 2008
The European Commission has decided to require compulsory certification for the imports of Chinese rice products that could contain the unauthorised GMO Bt63.
The decision has been taken after rice products – originating in, or consigned from, China and containing the unauthorised genetically modified rice “Bt 63”- were discovered in the EU market between 2006 and 2007.
Despite measures announced by the Chinese authorities in 2007, alerts concerning the presence of the unauthorised genetically modified rice “Bt 63” were reported until late 2007.
The emergency measures adopted by the Commission today mean that, as of April 15, only consignments of the rice products indicated in a specific Annex of the Decision can enter the EU.
These consignments must be tested by an official or accredited laboratory using a specific testing method and accompanied by the analytical report assuring they do not contain Bt63.
Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said: "Under EU food safety legislation, only GMOs, which have undergone a thorough scientific assessment and authorisation procedure, may be put on the EU market. The decision adopted today aims to prevent the unauthorised Bt63 rice from reaching EU consumers, by ensuring that only rice products certified as free from this GMO enter the EU."
China is responsible for ensuring that Bt63 does not enter the EU food chain and that imports are certified as free from this unauthorised GMO. Member State authorities are responsible for controlling the imports at their borders and for preventing any contaminated consignments from being placed on the market.
In addition, they should carry out controls on products already on the market, to ensure that they are free from Bt63.
Business operators importing rice products from China are also responsible for ensuring that Bt63 does not enter the EU food chain and that imports are certified as free from this unauthorised GMO, in accordance with the EU food law principle that operators are responsible for the safety of the food or feed that they place on the market.
The presence of the unauthorised Bt63 was first discovered in the UK, France and Germany and notified to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) in September 2006.
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