GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES LAW ON REGULATING GMO

ZAGREB, Oct 17 (Hina) - By the end of this year, Croatia should pass several laws which will regulate the issue of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). The law will not ban genetically engineered ingredients, however, the production and sales of such ingredients would be under strict supervision. #L# By adopting such a law, Croatia would lean toward the European Union protection standards, it was said at a government session on Thursday. The government voiced its opinion on GMOs and sent amendments to the law on healthy food to an urgent parliamentary procedure, Croatian European Integration Minister said. The GMO issue will also be regulated by the environmental protection law and the law on food which will stipulate an obligation to declare and mark food containing genetically modified ingredients. The government also adopted acts which should regulate wine sales between Croatia and European Union countries. Under the law, wine would be imported and exported without tariff duties, Deputy Agricultural Minister Tomislav Ledic said. This year, as the first year of the implementation of the law, Croatia could export 45,000 litres of wine and import 8,000 litres. The amount would increase each year, Ledic said. (hina) it sb