JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Second Chamber)

of 26 May 2005

in Case C-132/03 Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Consiglio di Stato in Ministero della Salute v Coordinamento delle associazioni per la difesa dell'ambiente e dei diritti degli utenti e dei consumatori (Codacons), Federconsumatori (1)

(Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 - Article 2(2)(b) - Additional labelling requirement for foodstuffs - Compulsory particulars concerning the presence of material derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) - Genetically modified soya beans and maize - Exemption from the requirement in the case of adventitious presence not exceeding a particular level - Foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional use - Infants and young children - Whether derogation applies - Precautionary principle)

(2005/C 271/04)

Language of the case: Italian

In Case C-132/03: reference for a preliminary ruling under Article 234 EC from the Consiglio di Stato (Italy), made by decision of 25 March 2003, received at the Court on 28 January 2003 in the proceedings between Ministero della Salute and Coordinamento delle associazioni per la difesa dell'ambiente e dei diritti degli utenti e dei consumatori (Codacons), Federconsumatori, intervening parties: Lega delle Cooperative, Associazione Italiana Industrie Prodotti Alimentari (AIIPA), Adusbef — the Court (Second Chamber) composed of C.W.A. Timmermans (Rapporteur), President of the Chamber, C. Gulmann and R. Schintgen,, Judges; P. Léger, Advocate General, M. Múgica Arzamendi, Principal Administrator, Registrar, gave a judgment on 26 May 2005, the operative part of which is as follows:

Article 2(2)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 of 26 May 1998 concerning the compulsory indication on the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms of particulars other than those provided for in Directive 79/112/EEC, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 49/2000 of 10 January 2000, is to be interpreted as meaning that the exemption for which it provides from the obligation, laid down in Article 2(1) and (3) of that regulation, to state on the labelling of foodstuffs that material derived from certain GMOs is present, where such presence is the result of adventitious contamination and does not exceed a de minimis threshold of 1 %, also applies to foodstuffs intended for the particular nutritional use of infants and young children.

(1)  OJ C 135 of 07.06.2003.