arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

Friends of the Earth (FoE) has accused the European Commission of disregarding public health and environmental concerns by proposing to undermine future legislation on GMO foods and crops. The Commission is calling on EU Member States to trust "voluntary agreements" with the biotech companies and to break the current moratorium on GMOs. If agreed this would give the go-ahead for 13 new GMO crops and 11 new foods, none of which have been approved under future more rigorous legislation already agreed by the European Union.

The proposal, set out in a Commission working paper for a meeting with Member States in ten days time undermines three years of efforts to improve GMO rules. In particular, it ignores:
• the new GMO Directive (2001/18/EC) that ensures tougher testing of GMO crops which was adopted by the European Parliament and Member States late last year but has yet to be implemented;
• a proposed new EU Regulation on traceability and labelling of GMOs ‘from farm to fork';
• a proposed new EU Regulation for authorisation and labelling of GM food and feed.
The latter two proposals were only tabled by the Commission at the end of July this year and have yet to gain the approval of the European Parliament and the Member States.

FoE condemns the initiative by the Commission to undermine future improved legislation on GMOs as both unworkable and as a move to pacify the biotech industry. "The public wants both informed choice and to know that GMOs have been thoroughly tested before they are allowed on the market. This move by the Commission to re-start GMO authorisations before new rules are in place on the basis of ‘voluntary agreements' with biotech companies does not guarantee either" said Gill Lacroix, Biotechnology Coordinator of Friends of the Earth Europe. "Industry should not be relied on to stick to rules, voluntary or not - witness the StarLink experience in the United States. That also raises the issue that the Commission has still failed to propose any legislation making companies liable for damage caused by GMO food or crops", she added.

"Rather than open the floodgates for more GMO approvals under ‘voluntary agreements' with companies, the Commission should address public concerns and support the moratorium until future legislation is in place", Lacroix said. "Countries supporting the moratorium have been saying: ‘no more GMO approvals until measures exist which ensure traceability and labelling throughout the food chain'. That is not yet the case. The moratorium has to continue until the European Parliament has debated the proposals, and Member States and Parliament have agreed on the legislation".

Contact:
Gill Lacroix, office (32-2) 542 0182, mobile (32-(0)476) 244.161
Adrian Bebb, office (44-113) 389 9952, mobile 44-(0)7712) 843 211

Friends of the Earth is the largest grassroots environmental network in the world.
Friends of the Earth Europe's membership consists of 31 member organisations in 30 European countries
with over 3000 local groups.