The European consumers organisation, BEUC, has welcomed the Commission's decision to issue legislation on the authorisation, traceability, monitoring and labelling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and feed.
BEUC's deputy director, Mr Willemien Bax, said: "At first sight these proposals move a long way towards giving consumers the possibility, previously denied to them, to choose whether or not to eat food and food ingredients derived from GMOs".
The system proposed on Wednesday, strongly criticised by Irish environmental groups and the Green Party, addressed for the first time consumer rights to information and choice, he said.
However, BEUC members have expressed concerns about technically unavoidable or adventitious contamination by unauthorised GMOs.
The Consumers' Association of Ireland was cautious about the proposals. Its chief executive, Mr Dermott Jewell, said further discussion was needed, but this was the start of the provision of a real choice for consumers.
The Irish Food Safety Promotion Board welcomed the proposed input of the European Food Authority in the approval process for GM foods.