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URGENT: NGO signatures for resolution

Thank you to all the hundreds of people who sent in letters to be delivered
to their Codex representative.

The following resolution will be presented to the international press early
next week.

We would like to get as many NGO's, scientists, consumer groups, etc., to
sign on to the resolution, so that we have hundreds of organizations
supporting this call for mandatory labelling.

If your organization supports this initiative, please send the resolution
back to me at <rwolfson@concentric.net>  ASAP with the name of your
organization, country, and your email signature authorizing us to add your
signature to the resolution.

................................................................................
.....................


	RESOLUTION
to the Codex Committee on Food Labelling
	May 26-29, 1998
	Ottawa, Canada

Whereas: Several dozen genetically engineered foods and food products have
already been introduced into the international market, and many more such
products are being developed;

Whereas: These products are created when foreign genes from animals,
plants, bacteria, and viruses are spliced into our food, resulting in
unpredictable, permanent changes in the nature of our food;

Whereas: There are no long-term studies to prove the safety of genetically
engineered foods, even though changing the fundamental genetic make-up of a
food could result in new toxins, allergies, or other harmful effects that
may not be discovered for years;

Whereas: Genetically engineered organisms can upset the delicate balance of
our ecosystem, such as by creating new, unpredicted species, which can
endanger wildlife, out-compete natural species, and alter essential
ecological relationships between plants and animals;

Whereas: Consumers who observe specific dietary restrictions for ethical,
religious, or other reasons may wish to avoid foods engineered with foreign
genes from animals, bacteria, viruses, or other species;

Whereas: Consumers have no way of identifying which food or food products
have been genetically engineered as there is currently no general
requirement that genetically engineered foods and food products be labelled;

Whereas: Consumers can make an informed choice regarding the consumption
and use of these foods and food products only if regulations are enacted
requiring labelling of all genetically engineered foods and food products
offered for sale.

Whereas: Surveys taken in many countries, including Canada, USA, Australia,
and in Europe, have consistently shown that a vast majority of consumers
want genetically engineered food products labelled;

Therefore: We call upon the Codex Committee on Food Labelling to enact
standards requiring mandatory labelling of all genetically engineered foods
and food products offered for sale.

We further urge Codex that this requirement of mandatory labelling extends
both to foods containing genetically modified organisms and foods produced
by genetically modified organisms, which may not themselves contain
genetically modified organisms.


Name                                     Signed
Date


_________________________________________________________

Richard Wolfson,  PhD
Consumer Right to Know Campaign,
for Mandatory Labelling of all Genetically Engineered Foods,
500 Wilbrod Street
Ottawa, ON  Canada  K1N 6N2
  fax. 613-565-1596
email:  rwolfson@concentric.net

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