| European Commission opens door to genetic contamination
Member States' concerns ignored
Brussels August 31 2005 - The European Commission today approved the import of Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape for human food and animal feed [1]. The decision came despite opposition from a majority of Member States and a loophole that could lead to illegal seed spills into the environment. Friends of the Earth condemned the decision and is calling on Member States to impose national bans on the GM seed.
The GM oilseed rape (GT73), is resistant to Monsanto's own herbicide. The majority of EU Member States voted against the application last year, or abstained, because of unanswered food and feed safety questions [2]. These included the effects on the liver weights of rats fed the oilseed rape [3] and the likelihood of seed spills into the environment.
In addition, recent UK government research has reported the discovery of the first genetically modified 'superweed' - the result of GM oilseed rape cross-breeding with a common weed (Charlock) in the UK farm scale trials [4].
However, the Commission ignored these concerns and pushed the approval through on the basis of an opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). And although the Commission accepted that seed spills are an area of concern, it failed to specify measures to safeguard against this [5]. Instead it has included a simple recommendation that US company Monsanto will be free to disregard.
Friends of the Earth is calling on Member States to use the provisions in EU law to impose national bans on the GM seed [6].
Helen Holder, GMO coordinator for Friends of the Earth said:
"Not only has the Commission ignored the opinion of 19 Environment Ministers and recent scientific findings, but it is also allowing Monsanto to decide whether our environment is contaminated. Member States are left with no choice but to take matters into their own hands and impose national bans on this GM seed."
Contact:
Helen Holder, Friends of the Earth Europe
+322 542 01 82
+324 74 857 638 (mobile)
Notes:
[1] GT73 was previously authorised for processing in oils under the 1997 Novel Foods regulation (Regulation 258/97) which has since been replaced by Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003. Today's decision covers industrial processing and animal feed.
[2] In December 2004, EU Environment Ministers voted with a simple majority against the approval of GT73. Since a qualified majority was required to prevent the approval, the decision reverted to the European Commission.
http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2004/GR_20_Dec_Monsanto.htm
For: SK, SE, FR, PT, FI, NL (78 votes)
Against: IT, GR, DK, PO, MT, BE, HU, LT, LV, CY, AT, EE, LU (135 votes)
Abstention: IE, SI, ES, DE, CZ, UK (108 votes)
[3] The official UK government advisors on GM foods and feeds - ACRE and ACAF - have said that they are not satisfied with the explanation that Monsanto has provided for the observed increased liver weight in rats fed GT73. They are are not convinced by EFSA's assurance that GT73 ''is as safe as conventional oilseed rape for humans and animals, and in the context of the proposed uses, for the environment.'' ACAF says it can only draw such conclusion "on receipt of satisfactory data from a further rat-feeding study using 15 per cent. oilseed rape meal." Source: Statement by Mr. Elliot Morely, UK Minister for the Environment and Agri-Environment. In: minutes of the UK's European Standing Committee A, Tuesday 2 November 2004
[4] http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/government_study_finds_uks_25072005.html
[5] Official Journal of the European Union, June 2005 (L-164 page 57)
[6] The safeguard clause - Article 23, Directive 2001/18/EC
European Commission press release:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/1077&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
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.
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