A very controversial GMO food law has been passed by EU lawmakers, and it allows member states of the EU to determine on their own whether genetically modified foods should be allowed to be cultivated. This legislation comes after years of bitter dispute between both sides, those who are against all GMO foods and those who support these products. Frederique Ries, a Liberal Democrat MEP, said
“This agreement will ensure more flexibility for member states who wish to restrict the cultivation of the GMOs in their territory.” EU member countries have differing views on whether these foods are healthy or harmful. In Britain GMO foods are a technology that is essential for adequate food supply for a growing world population. Other EU member countries like France view these foods as harmful or even dangerous to traditional food cultivation.
GMO food laws create controversy anywhere that these laws are proposed, and EU lawmakers tried to take both sides of the topic into account and allow each country to make decisions which are right for them. Some are critical of the new law though, and state the belief that a patchwork of regulations for GMO foods will just lead to confusion and allow these products to be introduced into the food supply in secret from EU countries that allow the cultivation of GMO foods. Supporters of this technology have argued that if the EU organization found that these products are not harmful then there si no reason to allow individual member states to ban their cultivation.