Council ready to adopt decisions giving guidance on sale of products containing GMOs

Brussels, 24 September 2002

Full text of Document 12082/02

20 September 2002

Adoption of Council Decisions:
­ establishing, pursuant to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, the summary information format relating to the placing on the market of genetically modified organisms as or in products
­ establishing guidance notes supplementing Annex VII to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC
­ establishing, pursuant to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, the summary notification information format for notifications concerning the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms for purposes other than for placing on the market
"I/A" item note from General Secretariat to Permanent Representatives Committee/Council

Nos. Cion prop.: 10789/02 ENV 393 AGRI 165 MI 137 ­ COM(2002) 362 final 10791/02 ENV 394 AGRI 167 MI 138 ­ COM(2002) 359 final 10792/02 ENV 395 AGRI 168 MI 139 ­ COM(2002) 361 final

1. For the setting up of technical guidelines, Article 30 of Directive 2001/18/EC refers to a Regulatory Committee to be set up under Articles 5, 7 and 8 of the Comitology procedure (Decision 1999/468/EC ).

In order to establish the guidelines for the subjects mentioned above, the Commission had consulted the relevant regulatory committee on 12 June 2002, but the committee did not deliver an opinion. Consequently, the Commission submitted the proposals to the Council, where they were received on 4 July 2002. According to Decision 1999/468/EC , the Council has 3 months to react, expiring on 4 October 2002.

2. The Working Party on the Environment discussed the three proposals at its meetings on 15 July and 3 September 2002 and introduced a number of amendments, none of which remained controversial. The results of these meetings are incorporated in 11872/02 , 11873/02 and 11875/02 ..

3. The Legal/Linguistic Experts will have finalised their work by 26 September, with the results figuring in 11978/02 , 11979/02 and 11980/02.

4. The Permanent Representatives Committee is asked to invite Council, as an "A" item on the agenda of its forthcoming meeting on 3 and 4 October 2002, to adopt these decisions as contained in the documents mentioned under item 3.

Council Register