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WRITTEN QUESTION P-1557/01
by Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission
(17 May 2001)
Subject: Genetically modified fish
It is known that conventionally farmed fish escape into the wild on a
regular basis, and consequently farming genetically modified fish clearly
poses huge risks: such fish could literally swim into the wild.
In Scotland, the possible introduction
of genetically modified salmon and the potential risk of escapes of
genetically modified fish in general have given rise to the fear that
major damage could be inflicted on wild fish stocks, which are already in
a state of disastrous decline.
Does the Commission agree that the
introduction of genetically modified fish into experimental fish farms
could result in major damage to wild fish stocks if such fish escape and
interbreed, with potentially devastating knock-on effects on the fisheries
and aquaculture industries and on consumer confidence?
Given the potential risks both to the
ecosystem, the fisheries and aquaculture industries and consumers, what
safeguards has the Commission put in place to ensure that consumers are
not exposed to genetically modified fish, whether developed within the EU
or externally?
Can the Commission provide information
on the status of research and development into and funding for genetically
modified fish in the EU, and explain and justify its objectives to fund
such research, given the inherent risks which surround the development of
such fish?
Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission
(20 June 2001)
The Commission agrees that genetically modified fish have the potential to
cause irreversible damage to fish stocks and to the marine environment, in
the event of escape. Community legislation addresses the potential risks
from activities involving such organisms.
Directive 2001/18/EC of the Parliament
and of the Council of 12 March 2001, on the deliberate release into the
environment of genetically modified organisms(1) covers both experimental
and commercial releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs),
including fish.
Experimental trials fall under the
provisions of Part B of the Directive. Applications are appraised and
consents granted by the Member States in which the intended trial is to be
conducted. These Member States are required to inform the Commission and
other Member States on such releases. In addition, information on
experimental releases carried out in the Community is maintained on a
publicly accessible database at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra (http://www.biotech.jrc.it).
To date, the Commission has received no notification of this kind with
respect to experimental releases of genetically modified fish.
Consents for commercial releases require
approval under Part C of Directive 2001/18/EC via an authorisation system
at the Community level with input from all Member States. Authorisations
will only be granted on the basis that there is no reason to believe that
the release would have an adverse effect on human health or the
environment. To date, there have been no applications for commercial
releases of genetically modified fish and no consents for such have been
granted.
Use of genetically modified fish or
products derived from it as or in food requires authorisation under the
Novel Foods Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the Parliament and of
the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food
ingredients(2)). Under this regulation, genetically modified food must not
present a danger or mislead the consumer or differ from conventional foods
to such an extent that their normal consumption would be nutritionally
disadvantageous for the consumer.
The Commission is currently part-funding
one project concerning transgenic technology in experimental fish, the
objective of which is to assess and reduce the risks that could emerge
from fish genetically altered by recombinant DNA technology. This is FAIR
project 3482 of 1997 (Fourth framework programme of Research and
Technological Development) which started in January 1999 and is to be
completed in December 2001. The project is co-ordinated by
Julius-Maximilian Universität Würzburg, Germany and has partners in Spain,
France, Italy, United Kingdom, and Norway; 924 000 Community funding has
been approved. The Commission has also part-funded four research projects
involving genetically modified fish in the past but these are now
terminated. Two of these were purely concerned with biosafety aspects
while two had potential commercial applications.
Currently research is being conducted
into controlling integration and expression of introduced genes and
improving the methods for analysing transgenic fish. It is not the aim of
the project to produce transgenic fish with altered characteristics, to
genetically modify commercial species or to release genetically modified
organisms into the environment. Research of this kind can contribute in
the future to risk evaluation and detection of genetically modified fish
on the market. |
