AUSTRIA BANS MONSANTO'S GM OILSEED RAPE

[Guest guest]

GM WAT. CH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

---

Immediate release: Monday 23 January 2006

 

AUSTRIA BANS MONSANTO'S GM OILSEED RAPE

 

Friends of the Earth has today welcomed the decision by the Austrian

Government to ban Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape. This

brings the total number of European bans on GM foods or crops to twelve

[1]. The decision by the current EU presidency follows November's

referendum in Switzerland which put in place a five year moratorium on

growing GM crops and comes ahead of the WTO GM dispute ruling, which will

include whether countries are allowed to impose such bans. Friends of the

Earth is calling on the UK Government to follow suit.

 

The Austrian decision to ban Monsanto's oilseed rape, GT73, is based on

the risk of genetic contamination and the inadequate risk assessment

carried out before the European Commission authorised it for import in

August 2005. This authorisation came despite a majority of EU Environment

Ministers blocking its approval in December 2004 [2] for environmental

and health reasons.

 

Friends of the Earth wrote to the Government following the approval of

GT73 oilseed rape, urging it to impose a national ban in the UK to

protect health and the environment, but it refused.

 

Friends of the Earth's GM Campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said:

 

" The Austrian decision to ban this GM oilseed rape is a clear sign of

the growing frustration with the EU's undemocratic decisions to approve

GM food. Opposition to GM crops and food is growing - in the UK over

eighteen million people live in GM free areas. It is time the UK

Government accepted that there are genuine concerns surrounding this GM

oilseed rape, and banned it too.

 

GMOs are now banned in seven European countries, while the number of EU

regions banning GMOs is also growing:

*172 Regions in the European Union and 4500 local authorities and other

zones have now declared themselves GMO free [3] and are calling for the

right of Regions to decide whether or not to grow GMOs. This includes

60 local authorities in the UK.

*In June 2005, the EU Commission was defeated by Member States when it

tried to force them to drop national GMO bans [4].

 

NOTES:

 

[1] GMO bans in the European Union:

 

Germany

Syngenta's Bt176 maize (banned 31/03/2000) - Reason: effects on

non-target insects + transfer of antibiotic resistance genes to humans

and

animals + insects could develop resistance to the Bt

 

France

Bayer's oilseed rape Topas 19/2 (banned 16/11/1998) - Reason: impact of

genetic escape and spread of herbicide tolerance Bayer's oilseed rape

MS1xRf1 (banned 16/11/1998) - Reason: impact of genetic escape and

spread of herbicide tolerance

 

Austria

Syngenta's Bt176 maize (banned 13/02/1997) - Reason: effects on

non-target insects such as butterflies + transfer of antibiotic

resistance

genes to humans and animals Bayer's T25 maize (banned

28/4/2000) - Reason: protection of sensitive areas, lack of monitoring

plan and concerns about the herbicide used Monsanto's MON810 maize

(banned 10/06/1999) - Reason: Effects on non-target insects

 

Hungary

Monsanto's maize MON810 seeds (banned 20/01/2005)

 

Luxembourg

Syngenta's Bt176 maize (banned 07/02/1997) - Reason: Transfer of

antibiotic resistance genes to humans and animals

 

Greece

Bayer's oilseed rape Topas 19/2 (banned 08/09/1998) - Reason: impact of

genetic escape Monsanto's maize MON810 seeds (Commission ruled to

overturn ban earlier this month)

 

Poland

Monsanto's maize MON810 seeds

 

[2]

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/european_commission_approv_28092005\

..html

 

Voting Results of Environment Council on 20/12/2004:

*For* : SK, SE, FR, PT, FI, NL. (78 votes)

*Against* : IT, GR, DK, PO, MT, BE, HU, LT, LV, CY, AT, EE et LU. (135

votes)

*Abstention* : IE, SI, ES, DE, CZ et UK. (108 votes)

 

[3] see http://www.gmofree-europe.org/ for further information

 

[4] see http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/AB_24_June_vote.htm