EU: Ban on GM Crops Would Violate Farmers' Liberty

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EU: Ban on GM Crops Would Violate Farmers' Liberty

 

 

BRUSSELS, Belgium, March 7, 2003 (ENS) - There is little justification for

European Union legislation to govern management of genetically modified crops,

the European Commission said today in a communication on the " coexistence " of

genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming. This

conclusion will be hard fought by Europe's environmental movement, which could

have the backing of several governments.

The Commission said a ban of the cultivation of genetically modified crops in EU

member states " has to be excluded, " since " the protection of economic interests

alone cannot be invoked as a legally valid justification for imposing such

strong limitations on fundamental liberties. "

Ecologists analyze spread of weeds in a field of genetically modified maize, or

corn. Disposal overalls prevent transfer of pollen to conventional crops. (Photo

by Mark Hill courtesy Center for Ecology and Hydrology/British Ecological

Society)Coexistence is not a safety issue, since it concerns only authorized

genetically modified crops checked for safety, the Commission says. The

legislative body's approach is founded on the principle that farmers should be

able to cultivate freely the crops they choose. But equally, the Commission

said, " no form of agriculture should be excluded. "

With regard to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), no EU member state should

be allowed to declare itself a " GMO free zone, " nor should such zones even be

created " against the will of some farmers, " the Commission said.

" Co-existence raises questions which have to be addressed, said Agriculture

Commissioner Franz Fischler today. " Co-existence is about economic and legal

questions, not about risks or food safety, because only authorized GMOs can be

cultivated in the EU. "

Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the European Environmental Bureau, which

represents 134 member organizations in 25 countries, accused the Commission of

" dodging its responsibility " as EU legislative initiator on the issue of genetic

contamination in agriculture.

Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark, Belgium, Greece and

Portugal have asked the Commission to propose strict and precise rules in order

to ensure co-existence in agriculture. They want to guarantee the right of

European farmers to grow conventional and organic crops.

In contrast to the language of " crop purity " and " contamination " used by

opponents of genetically modified crops, the Commission's communication document

talks of thresholds for adventitious presence and the importance of differences

between crops and regions.

European Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler (Photo courtesy The Polish

Voice)The Commission cited a study by the EU Joint Research Centre and a recent

report on co-existence from a Danish expert group which both suggest that

coexistence " should not be a problem for most crop types in most areas, " while

for oilseed rape, as well as for seed production of certain crops, " ensuring

co-existence may be more problematic. "

" The application of co-existence measures is not new, " Commissioner Fischler

said. " Already in conventional farming, seed producers, for example, have a

great deal of experience of implementing farm management practices to ensure

seed purity standards. "

To prevent the contamination of organic crops with genetically modified ones,

the Commission suggests isolation distances between fields, buffer zones, pollen

barriers, and control of self-sown plants.

Farmers could also manage the separation by crop rotation and planting

arrangements for different flowering periods; and monitoring during cultivation,

harvest, storing, transport, and processing, the Commission said.

Environmental groups attacked the document before its publication this week,

insisting that only " hard legislation " will protect conventional and organic

agriculture from contamination genetically modified organisms.

They were joined today by three Socialist members of the European Parliament's

Environment Committee - Karin Scheele, Torben Lund, and Guido Sacconi - who

called on the Commission to launch a " new, more ambitious " proposal.

Genetically modified soy beans. (Photo courtesy FAO)Should genetically modified

crops be planted on a commercial scale in Europe, said the environmental groups,

the measures to avoid contamination could substantially increase the final cost

of conventional and organic products. The Joint Research Centre has calculated

an increase in costs as high as 41 percent for oilseed rape seed production, and

nine percent for maize production.

" EU legislation is necessary to establish the principle that those extra costs

must be borne by the GMO growers responsible for the contamination, " the

environmental groups say.

Farmers association Copa-Cogeca welcomed the communication and in particular the

Commission's commitment to addressing liability in the case of contamination.

On the question of liability, the Commission considers that the first step must

be to find out whether the existing national laws do not already offer

sufficient and equal possibilities in this regard. Another question that arises

is how to establish the causality link between the action and the damage.

Today's discussion will serve as a basis for a round table on co-existence on

April 24 where stakeholders will have their say. Then, said Fischler, " the

Commission will quickly bring forward guidelines. "

{ENDS Environment Daily contributed to this report. Environmental Data Services

Ltd, London}

 

 

 

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