EU_TO_ALLOW_GM_CROPS_THROUGH_BACK_DOOR

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> GMW:_EU_TO_ALLOW_GM_CROPS_THROUGH_BACK_DOOR

> " GM_WATCH " <info

> Mon, 6 Sep 2004 11:48:12 +0100

 

>

> GM WATCH daily

> http://www.gmwatch.org

> ---

> EU TO ALLOW GM CROPS THROUGH BACK DOOR

> Sep 6

>

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/eu_to_allow_gm_crops_throu_06092004\

..html

>

> Friends of the Earth is calling on the European

> Commission to halt proposals that would allow

> farmers to commercially grow up to 17 different

> types of genetically modified (GM) maize seeds in

> fields across the whole of Europe. The Commission,

> which is meeting in Brussels on WEDNESDAY 8

> SEPTEMBER, also wants to legalise the widespread GM

> contamination of conventional crops.

>

> Friends of the Earth, Europe's largest grassroots

> environmental network, believes the proposals will

> threaten Europe's food and farming and take away

> consumers right to avoid GM food.

>

> At Wednesday's meeting the outgoing European

> Commission is expected to decide whether to allow:

>

> The commercial growing of 17 different varieties of

> genetically modified (GM) maize The Commission

> proposes to add 17 varieties of a GM maize made by

> Monsanto to Europe's Common Catalogue of seeds. This

> would be the first time that a GM seed has been

> added to the common catalogue and would make the

> seeds commercially available to farmers across the

> whole EU. Only one country - Denmark - has so far

> put in place " co-existence " measures aimed at

> preventing the uncontrolled spread of GM in the food

> chain and the environment. Without coexistence rules

> the widespread contamination of conventional crops

> is highly likely, posing a massive threat to

> Europe's food, farming and environment.

>

> The contamination of conventional oilseed rape and

> maize seeds with GM varieties. The EC is also

> proposing that GM-contaminated seed will only have

> to be labelled if it exceeds a 0.3 per cent

> threshold. Such a move could see thousands of GM

> oilseed rape seeds being planted per hectare without

> the farmer knowing. Official wildlife experts in the

> UK [2] have said that these contamination levels

> " could result in adverse impacts on farmland

> biodiversity " .

>

> Friends of the Earth Europe's GM Campaign

> Coordinator Geert Ritsema, said: " These proposals by

> the European Commission are a recipe for disaster.

> Allowing the widespread growing of GM crops before

> countries have had the chance to put measures in

> place to protect consumers and the environment is a

> reckless move that could lead to the widespread

> contamination of Europe's food, farming and

> environment and take away people's ability to avoid

> GM. These ill-judged plans must be abandoned. "

>

> The Commission's plan to allow GM-contaminated seed

> contradicts a resolution adopted by the European

> Parliament in December 2003. The

> Parliament called on the Commission and Member

> States " not to proceed with the approval of the

> release of any further genetically modified

> varieties of plants until such time as binding rules

> on coexistence, backed up by a system of liability

> based firmly on the 'polluter pays' principle, have

> been agreed and implemented. " [3].

>

> If the Commission pushes ahead with its plans,

> Friends of the Earth will call on the EU Member

> States to impose national bans on the registered

> seeds. According to a leaked Communication from

> Commissioner David Byrne " any Member State may

> object to the marketing on their territory of any

> such GM variety if they consider there is a risk for

> human health, the environment or agronomic

> reasons. " [4]

>

> Notes to editors

> 1. Monsanto's MON810 maize, which is modified to

> produce a toxin to resist a type of insect, already

> has a EU wide licence through GM legislation.

> However, up to now it has not been made available to

> farmers through the EU common catalogue. Six of the

> varieties are already on the national seed lists in

> France (but not grown commercially as far as we are

> aware) and 11 are listed on the Spanish seed list.

>

> 2. The British Statutory Nature Conservation

> Agencies (consists of English Nature, Scottish

> Natural Heritage, and the Countryside Council for

> Wales). Their report - in response to a UK DEFRA

> consultation - " Commission proposals on thresholds

> for the adventitious presence of approved GMOs in

> seeds " is available from Friends of the Earth's

>

website.http://www.foeeurope.org/press/ENGLISHNATURE.pdf

>

> 3. European Parliament resolution on coexistence

> between genetically modified crops and conventional

> crops and conventional and organic crops (2003/2098

> (INI), adopted 18 December 2003.

>

> 4. Communication from David Byrne to the Commission,

> available from of Friends of the Earth.

>

> Contact details:

>

> Friends of the Earth

> 26-28 Underwood St.

> LONDON

> N1 7JQ

>

> Tel: 020 7490 1555

> Fax: 020 7490 0881

> Email: info

> Website: www.foe.co.uk

>