ARGE Gentechnik-frei: Europe‘s First System for Labelling of GMO-free Food Products

How the System Works

Vienna, Sept 5th, 2012

GMO-free Labellingin Practice

GMO-free Labelling in Practice

1. Looking back – how the system & the platform developped in Austria

2. Structure and tasks of the labelling platform

3. Preconditions for the success of the system in Austria

4. Prerequisites for labelling

The production standard

Certification

How to label

5. Major current challenges

6. GMO-free – European perspectives

• More than 1.900 products• Leading brands and food producers

• More than 90 % of Austrian retailers• Label has a high credibility with consumers• Model for other European labelling systems

GMO-free – how it developped

April 1997 1,27 Mio. Austrians sign referendum against GMOs

June 1997 Foundation of ARGE Gentechnik-frei

Aug. 1997 1st ship with GMO-free soya from Brazil (Handelshaus Pilstl)

Sept. 1997 1st definition of GMO-free production standards developed by ARGE Gentechnik-frei

May 1998 1st version of standard in Austrian Codex Alimentarius

1998 1st products with label on the market (organic products)

April 2003 1st conventional GMO-free products (free-range eggs)

Sept. 2003 1st GMO-free milk (Tirolmilch; conventional)

April 2004 EU Regulation 1829/2003 for labelling of GMO food

2005/06 Breakthrough in the dairy market: NÖM (Austria‘s # 2) to label all milk; other dairy producers follow quickly

2008 Amendment of Codex Alimentarius to the version valid today

2009 New segments with the label: flour, bread & bakery products; also: first meat products (Fleischwaren Berger)

GMO-free – how it developped

Aug. 2009 Presentation of label „Without GMO“ in Germany; foundation of VLOG e.V. (Association Food Without GMO)

2010 New wording for label: „Ohne Gentechnik hergestellt“ (for identical wording in all German speaking countries)

June 2010 Complete Austrian dairy production GMO-free

Oct. 2010 Complete Austrian egg-production (fresh eggs) GMO-free

Feb./March 2012 Major part of Austrian poultry (chicken, turkexy) GMO-free

March 2012 nationwide availability of GMO-free pork (at Billa / REWE)

April 2012 Foundation of Donau Soja Initiative

May 2012 1st certified GMO-free feed production at Fixkraft Futtermittel(before that: „Feed suitable for production of GMO-free food“

May 2012 Start of EU consultation process: „ Report about existing EU-programs on GMO-free labelling; incl. assessment of necessity for an EU-wide harmonisation process“

July 2012 GMO-free labelling standard in France

Role & function of the labelling platform

Driving force with developping, enabling and implementation of GMO-free labelling

Integrative role: enabling and managing a close, intensive and highly constructive cooperation & discourse between: retailers food & feed producers

organic farming associations NGOs

consumer protection certification

Pro-active support of pioneers in food & feed production:

Market orientieted: ensure freedom of choice for consumers -establish clear framework and legal security for producers

find & develop the right balance between: sensible for the environment & feasible on the market

Success proves: the Course is Right

Innovative: first & unique labelling project in Europe

Already 1998: first definition of production and certification standards for GMO-free food defined in Codex Alimentarius provides legal basis & security for producers

First comprehensive labelling system in Europe(production standard / label / certification system)

Model for other national regulations in Europe (e.g. Germany, France, Ireland, Southern Tyrol, LUX)

More than 1.900 products on the market (organic & conventional)

Members

Retailers Hofer Rewe Spar Zielpunkt Lidl

Organisations Bio Austria Greenpeace Global 2000 Environmental Protection Agency Worker‘s Chamber ARGE gesunde Tierernährung Fairtrade Agricultral Chamber Austrian Soya Association Donau Soja VLOG e.V. ProTerra

More than 150 food producers

Nearly all dairy producers

Nearly all egg producers

Producers of egg-products

Poultry: Wech, Titz, Huber‘s

Meat: Fleischwaren Berger, Styria Beef, SB Frischfleisch, Iboschwein, Steirerfleisch, Hütthaler, Messner, ...

Major Autrian brands, such as: Rupp, Iglo Austria, Spitz, Bonduelle, Agrana

Soya producers: Sojarei, Joya

Mills: Haberfellner Mühle, Vonwiller –Erste Wr. Walzmühle, Vorarlberger Mühlen

Diamant

Handelshaus Pilstl

Fixkraft Futtermittel

The goals – since the very beginning of the platform

Enable freedom of choice and Safety for consumers

Uniform and consistent production standards

Uniform and consistent standards for organic & conventional products

National & international lobbying - secure a legal framework

Aim for European harmonisation of GMO-free regulations

Uniform and strict certification processes

Comprehensive certification system; similar to organic certification

Compulsory certification process (= different to all other European systems!)

Securing of the markets

Full transparency with production and certification

Securing of availability (feed, soya, maize, ...)

Support in marketing and consumer information for members

How the Platform Works

ARGE Gentechnik-frei

Coordination Office

Advisory Board(NGOs, science & experts,

chambers & associations)

Board(Retailers, producers,

Organic farmers Ass.)

Members& usersof thelabel

Certificationbodies

(currently 6 authorizedcertification

bodies)

Wahl

Consultation & counseling

Certification& consulting

Funding throughmembers fee & licensing fee

ConsultationInformationLobbyingPR & market communications

Strategy, planning, project management

Tasks & Role of the Platform

Know-how transfer and support for producers with implementation, marketing and consumers information

Lobbying:

Further development of standard according to experiences in practice

Ensure (political) support for GMO-free farmers and food producers

Authorisation and harmonisation of certification bodies

Safeguarding of uniform and consistant certification

Liaision with other certification systems (e.g. organic, AMA) to enable best use of synergies

Information & communication with the various target audiences & stakeholders(media, politics & administration, NGOs, food authorities, national & international stakeholders etc.)

Marketing and communication of the label – information about background & framework of the labelling system – secure transparency for the system

International dialogue

Work towards European harmonisation

Preconditions for the Success of the System in Austria

Full integration of all relevant players & stakeholders into the platform

Strong support from retailers – from the very beginning

Strong support in puclic opinion & media

Pioneers in several market segments

Consistent and comprehensive system from the very beginning(production standard – label – certification standard)

Pragmatic development of standard – reacting to experiences in practice

Prerequisites for Labelling

Fulfil all specifications of Codex Alimentarius („Richtlinie zur Definition der ‚Gentechnikfreien Produktion‘ von Lebensmitteln und deren Kennzeichnung“) and / or EU Regulation on Organic Production (EU Regulation 834/2007)

License agreement with ARGE Gentechnik-frei

Fulfil all specification of the certification system of ARGE Gentechnik-frei and of the certification handbook of the Ministery of Economy (L25 = Handbook for risk-based certifcation of GMO-free production)

Certification agreement with one of the authorised certification bodies

Membership with ARGE Gentechnik-frei (membership fee = licensing fee for the use of the label)

Formal approval of use of label by ARGE Gentechnik-frei (after obtaining GMO-free certificate by a certification body)

Annual renewal of certification

GMO-free Standard

Defined in Austrian Codex Alimentarius:

Food, feed and additives: are neither GMO nor GMO derivatives

don‘t contain GMOs or GMO derivatives

For food and ingredients of food production: have not been produced with the aid of GMOs or GMO derivatives

Clearly defined transition periods for feeding of animals: Cattle for meat production: 12 months

Pork: complete fattening period

Animals for milk production: 2 weeks

Poultry for egg production: 6 weeks

Animals of aquaculture: complete fattening period

GMO-free Standard

Defined in Austrian Codex Alimentarius:

Clearly defined form of labelling – for food as well as for feed Requirement to efer to the relevant regulation of GMO-free

production on the label

Name of certification body on the label

Feed: „Feed suitable for GMO-free food production“

Free choice of wording – however: in practice, label of ARGE Gentechnik-frei is the only label on the market

Full specifications of Codex Alimentarius need to be fulfilled for every form of labelling no labelling of partial production such as: „Produced from

GMO-free milk“ with yoghurts only allowed in list of additives)

GMO-free Standard

Defined in Austrian Codex Alimentarius:

Threshold values for contaminations: Only valid for accidental and / or technically unavoidable

contamination

Maximum value: 0,9% per additive; zero value has to be the explicit target value

Any detection of GMOs (above 0,1%) has to lead to an additional monitoring process looking into identification and elimination ofcause

Experts group for interpretations and/or recommendations ofamendments to the standard (parallel to EU regulation of organicproduction 834/2007)

GMO-free Standard

Mandatory certification by external certification bodies

Certification bodies need to be accredited according to EN 45011

Mandatory certification throughout the complete value chain

Parallel to organic production: Certification / monitoring of complete flow of goods; supported by analytical monitoring of samples

Uniform standards of certification, regulated by guideline of Ministery of Economy

Risk based certification process

Initial classification of risk by certification body

100% monitoring / certification at start of labelling

Subsequent frequency of certification: according to risk level

Name of certification body on the label

The Final Product

Brand Awareness of Label

61%

Important for Purchasing Decision

67%

Major Current Challenges

Need to secure continuous and long-term availability of all relevant substances and additives (Soya!, additives such as Vitamin B2, ...)

Increase synergies – especially with certification and monitoring processes

Enable & support move towards GMO-free feed with pork production (currently under way in Austria)

Increased information & communication to consumers

GMO-free –European perspectives

Currently: GMO-free regulations in an increasing numer of EU member states:

Austria, Germany, France, Southern Tyrol

Soon to come: Luxemburg

Also: Switzerland

Clear need for pan-European harmonisation!

Currently under way: EU-wide consultation process & „Report about existing EU-programs on GMO-free labelling; incl. assessment of necessity for an EU-wide harmonisation process“

Founded recently: Euro GMO-free = European Association for the Production of GMO-free Food Formal founding meeting in fall 2012

Thank you for your Patience!