Regulation (EC) No 1830/2003 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 4 U.K. Traceability and labelling requirements for products consisting of or containing GMOs

A. TRACEABILITY

1. At the first stage of the placing on the market of a product consisting of or containing GMOs, including bulk quantities, operators shall ensure that the following information is transmitted in writing to the operator receiving the product:

(a) that it contains or consists of GMOs;

(b) the unique identifier(s) assigned to those GMOs F1 ....

2. At all subsequent stages of the placing on the market of products referred to in paragraph 1, operators shall ensure that the information received in accordance with paragraph 1 is transmitted in writing to the operators receiving the products.

3. In the case of products consisting of or containing mixtures of GMOs to be used only and directly as food or feed or for processing, the information referred to in paragraph 1(b) may be replaced by a declaration of use by the operator, accompanied by a list of the unique identifiers for all those GMOs that have been used to constitute the mixture.

4. Without prejudice to Article 6, operators shall have in place systems and standardised procedures to allow the holding of information specified in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) and the identification, for a period of five years from each transaction, of the operator by whom and the operator to whom the products referred to in paragraph 1 have been made available.

5. Paragraphs 1 to 4 shall be without prejudice to other specific requirements in [F2 [F3 assimilated] law].

B. LABELLING

6. For products consisting of or containing GMOs, operators shall ensure that:

(a) for pre-packaged products consisting of, or containing GMOs, the words ‘This product contains genetically modified organisms’ or ‘This product contains genetically modified [name of organism(s)]’ appear on a label;

(b) for non-pre-packaged products offered to the final consumer the words ‘This product contains genetically modified organisms’ or ‘This product contains genetically modified [name of organism(s)]’ shall appear on, or in connection with, the display of the product.

This paragraph shall be without prejudice to other specific requirements in [F4 [F5 assimilated] law].

C. EXEMPTIONS

7. Paragraphs 1 to 6 shall not apply to traces of GMOs in products in a proportion no higher than the thresholds [F6 referred to in, or, where relevant, the thresholds established or amended under, Article 4A of this Regulation], provided that these traces of GMOs are adventitious or technically unavoidable.

8. Paragraphs 1 to 6 shall not apply to traces of GMOs in products intended for direct use as food, feed or for processing in a proportion no higher than the thresholds established for those GMOs in accordance with Articles 12 [F7 or 24] of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003, provided that these traces of GMOs are adventitious or technically unavoidable.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Art. 4(1)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Genetically Modified Organisms (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/90), regs. 1(2)(b), 4(4)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F2 Words in Art. 4(5) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Genetically Modified Organisms (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/90), regs. 1(2)(b), 4(4)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F3 Word in Art. 4(5) substituted (27.2.2025) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/82), reg. 1(2), Sch. 15 para. 64(2)(b)

F4 Words in Art. 4(6) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Genetically Modified Organisms (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/90), regs. 1(2)(b), 4(4)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F5 Word in Art. 4(6) substituted (27.2.2025) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/82), reg. 1(2), Sch. 15 para. 64(2)(b)

F6 Words in Art. 4(7) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/778), regs. 1, 7(3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F7 Words in Art. 4(8) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Genetically Modified Organisms (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/90), regs. 1(2)(b), 4(4)(c); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)