Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
assessments. A permanent advisory body on novel foods was also estab-
lished, with consumer organizations and industry and trade representa-
tives designated as members of this expert group. National safety policy
was also adapted to subsequent EU regulations.
EU GM Food Safety Policy
In the EU, GMOs and derivative products can only be placed on the
market after having undergone a stringent science-based risk assessment
on a case-by-case basis. Since May 1997, the EU's Novel Food Regula-
tion, as amended, 11 has been fully integrated into the Dutch Food and
Commodities Act and the Decree on Novel Foods. Now, GM plants are
authorized for food and feed under EU procedures, which apply, to all
member-states. Whereas, under the Dutch national system, the govern-
ment could only act on the basis of hard scientific evidence of adverse
health effects, under the EU system, it has more flexibility by acting
on the basis of the EU's “precautionary principle,” a major feature of
EU food safety policy that mandates that if scientific uncertainty exists,
member states may take extra care to protect citizens from uncertain or
unknown effects of a particular food product. 12
Since February 1999, the Dutch Committee on Safety Assessment of
Novel Foods (VNV Committee) has implemented the EU authorization
process. It reports risk evaluations, noting whether it concurs with com-
pany study findings, and submits a recommendation to Dutch officials
for health and agriculture. The reports are available for public viewing
on the Health Council's website. Further, the public may inspect a full
dossier, on request, at the Health Council's library. Under the European
Novel Food Regulations, any member-state can raise objections to the
dossier and the first assessment. If a dossier raises a significant number
of questions, the European Commission requests an opinion from the
11 Commission Regulations 258/97, 1997 O.J. (L 43) 1-6 (EC); 1829/2003, 2003 O.J.
(L 268) 1-23 (EC); and 1830/2003, 2003 O.J. (L 268) 24 (EC).
12 Food Safety Regulation in Europe 112, (E. Vos & F. Wendler eds., Inersentia 2006).
Search WWH ::




Custom Search