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Europe to vote on GM crop bans
Commission accused of "caving in" to WTO


Brussels, 28 October 2004 - European member states will next month vote on whether five countries should overturn their bans of genetically modified (GM) crops, Friends of the Earth can reveal. The European Commission who has tabled the vote has been condemned by Friends of the Earth as "pathetically weak" for caving in to corporate interests.

The proposal from the Commission - the EU's unelected executive arm - is seen as a direct result of the trade dispute in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) started last year by the United States, Argentina and Canada. The three countries claim that Europe's precautionary stance on GM food, including the national bans, are a barrier to free trade and harm their farmers. The WTO has set up a 3-person Panel which is currently meeting in secret to judge the case. A final verdict is expected next year.

Between 1997 and 2000 five countries introduced bans following scientific disagreements over the safety of GM crops (1). One of the crops in question, Syngenta's BT176 maize, is no longer grown anywhere, following concerns about its effects on public health and the environment. The Commission is asking all EU member states to vote on proposals that call on countries to repeal their bans within 20 days.

Geert Ritsema, GMO coordinator of Friends of the Earth Europe said:

" The European Commission's position can only be described as pathetically weak. Instead of protecting the rights of countries to halt genetically modified foods they have decided to cave in to the pressure of the World Trade Organisation and the Bush Administration. Every country has the right to protect its citizens and environment from the unquantifiable risk of genetically modified crops. We urge member states to step in where the Commission fails and vote down these monstrous proposals."

A full briefing from Friends of the Earth on the national bans can be found at:
http://www.foeeurope.org/biteback/download/national_bans_briefing_Oct2004.pdf

The Commissions proposals can be found at:
http://www.foeeurope.org/biteback/29nov/agenda.htm



Contact
Geert Ritsema, Friends of the Earth Europe - mobile +31 (0)6 290 05 908

Notes to editors

(1) The national bans are:

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

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

Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.