Europos Sąjungos (ES) ir Jungtinių Amerikos Valstijų (JAV) teisės aktai, reglamentuojantys Genetiškai modifikuotus organizmus (GMO)

Aim and objectives: The aim is to find the main difference in the legislation and opinion on GMOs in the EU and the US. In order to find the main difference in the legislation and opinion on GMOs in the EU and the US, following questions will be addressed: 1. Where do the legislations and policies on GMOs mainly differ? 2. What is the outcome of the EU and US regulatory regimes? 3. What is the public opinion on GMOs? Methodology: The author is conducting a comparative research with the aim to find the main differences in the legislation and opinion on GMOs in the EU and the US. Public governmental documents, scientific publications and legal reports will be analyzed and compared. Results: The EU has strict legislations regulating GMOs while the US lack a legislation specific to GMOs. All genetically modified (GM) food products in the EU must go through a process of authorization before introduced to the EU market, while in the US GM food products can get a premarket approval which exempts them from the process of authorization. All GM food products must be labeled in the EU, exemption to the rule is if the product does not exceed the threshold of 0.9 %. In the US there are no labeling requirements unless the product is materially different from conventional food products. The outcome of the EU and US regulatory regimes are that approval of new GM products and cultivation of GMOs are much higher than in the EU. The general public in the EU are more aware of GMOs than in the US. The majority of the people asked in the EU and the US supports labeling of GM foods. Conclusion: GMOs are less regulated in the US due to lack of specific legislation to it. Premarket approval makes it easier to get GM foods approved in the US. The US nonmandatory labeling rule makes it harder for consumers to make an informed choice, which strongly favors the manufacturer. People in EU are more aware of GMOs. EU and the US assess the potential risks and benefits of GMO use differently although same scientific data are evaluated. The GM business in the US is more lucrative than in the EU