Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses have heard the observations and questions. To be clear, the proposal we are dealing with is to allow the individual member states to nationalise their decision on approved products that are GMO feeds for animal feed that are approved by the EFSA in the first instance. We must be clear on what this COM is about. There is a wider argument, but it does not have anything to do with products for the health or biopharma sectors, even though there are many in that area. It strictly relates to feed of greater than 0.9%. The fear from the IGFA, as I see it, is that it would un-level the playing field for member states if some states or administrations of the day might have a more restrictive approach to it than others.

It is inevitable that it will lead to more questions, as members have mentioned here, about any effort on the part of the EU to produce more proteins for animal feeds, non-GM proteins, in crop rotations and everything else. It is inevitable that the discussion would go that way. Nonetheless, the specific COM is about whether member states should be given greater autonomy with regard to the licensing of feedstuffs for use in animal feeds and the impact that would have on a member state. That is the background, and it is important to make that point.

Incidentally, I do not think anybody recommended whether Ireland should vote to accept this COM or not. It is not the role of the experts here to do that, just to explain it. It is for us to determine, following our hearing, whether we support the COM.

It is something we will discuss at our next meeting. That is the way it will work.