Guest guest Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 > 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 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.