Title:
Ministero della Salute v. Coordinamento delle associazioni per la difesa dellambiente e dei diritti degli utenti e dei consumatori (Codacons), Federconsumatori, intervening parties: Lega delle Cooperative, Associazione Italiana Industrie Prodotti Alimentari (AIIPA), Adusbef,
Party:
European Union
Region:
Europe
Europe
Type of document:
International court
Date of text:
May 26, 2005
Data source:
InforMEA
Court name:
European Court of Justice
Seat of court:
Luxembourg
Justice(s):
Timmermans, C.W.A
Gulmann, C.
Schintgen, R.
Léger, P.
Reference number:
C-132/03
Abstract:
EC legislation states that the accidental presence of GMOs does not have to be indicated on food labels if it remains below a threshold of 1% of the final product. Codacons, in opposition to the Italian health ministry, claims that this exception should not apply to baby food, citing the precautionary principle. The ECJ sees things differently, and focusses on the authorisation for GM food: “The precautionary principle, where relevant, is part of such a decision-making [authorisation] process”. It adds that nothing else in European Community GM and baby food legislation allows a special GM labelling regime for baby food. The judgement is the latest development in a series of disputes over the correct interpretation of a Council Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 of 26 May 1998 concerning the compulsory indication on the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms of particulars other than those provided for in Directive 79/112/EEC, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 49/2000 of 10 January 2000.