GMW: EC approved GM crops despite safety fears

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GMW: EC approved GM crops despite safety fears

" GM WATCH " <info

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 09:20:41 +0100

 

 

 

 

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1.EC approved GM crops despite safety fears - Telegraph

2.The EC is accused of approving products despite safety concerns - BBC

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1.EC approved GM crops despite safety fears

The Daily Telegraph, 18/04/2006

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/18/ugm.xml & sSheet=/\

portal/2006/04/18/ixportaltop.html

 

The European Commission approved a range of GM foods and crops despite

having serious doubts over their health and environmental impacts,

according to new documents released by green charities.

 

Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth said the documents revealed

scientific arguments put forward behind closed doors in the European

Commission's recent GM trade dispute.

 

The groups have called for the immediate suspension in the use and sale

of all GM foods and crops until the safety issues have been addressed.

 

In the documents, the Commission argues that there were " large areas of

uncertainty about the health risks posed by GM produce, " and that " some

issues have not yet been studied at all. "

 

The papers also say " there simply is no way of ascertaining whether the

introduction of GM products has had any other effect on human health, "

and " no unique, absolute, scientific cut off threshold available to

decide whether a GM product is safe or not. "

 

Among other revelations, the documents suggested ther were huge

disagreements between the Commission and the European Food Safety

Authority,

the agency that is responsible for GM risk assessments.

 

At the same time as the Commission wrote and submitted these documents

to the World Trade Organisation highlighting safety concerns it

approved seven GM foods, despite a lack of support from the majority

of EC

member states.

 

Clare Oxborrow, a Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner, said: " This is a

political scandal. The European Commission must call a halt to the sale

and growth of all genetically modified food and crops given the serious

concerns over their safety that have come to light.

 

" When the EU Commission broke the moratorium and forced GM foods into

Europe, it told the public they were safe. But the Commission clearly

knew this was not the case and was prepared to recognise the risk behind

closed doors. The UK Government must now reveal whether it had access

to these documents and whether it voted in support of GM foods while

knowing the risks they posed. "

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2.The EC is accused of approving products despite safety concerns

BBC News, 17 April 2006

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4917302.stm

 

Two environmental groups say they have documents which show a double

standard on the safety of genetically-modified organisms in the European

Commission.

 

Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace accuse the commission of telling

the public GMOs are safe but admitting to safety concerns in a report.

 

The two groups are citing a report submitted by the commission to the

World Trade Organisation.

 

The European Commission is the EU's executive body.

 

'Scientific uncertainty'

 

Friends of the Earth Europe and Greenpeace are accusing the European

Commission of approving GM crops and foods despite serious doubts over

their impact on health and the environment.

 

Using freedom of information rules, they obtained the commission's

report to the World Trade Organisation, which is hearing a complaint

against European bans on GMOs.

 

The report warns that there are still large areas of scientific

uncertainty and disagreement, and that based on current data there is

no way

to rule out the development of cancer or allergies as a result of GMOs.

 

It raises concerns about weeds and insects becoming resistant to the

toxins in GM crops, and it warns that GM plants like oilseed rape and

sugar beet can easily cross with their wild relatives.

 

Just two weeks ago the EU agriculture commissioner repeated that no GM

products were approved unless they were completely safe.

 

But those assurances are not getting through. In a recent EU poll,

nearly two-thirds said they were worried about the safety of GM foods.

 

 

 

 

 

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