GM free Europe petition launched in Wales

A European-wide petition calling for regions and local authorities to have the legal right to ban the cultivation of GM crops in their area was launched at a public meeting, organised by Friends of the Earth Cymru, at Monmouth on Friday evening.

The chair of the meeting, Laura Anne Jones AM, became the first Welsh politician to sign the petition.

Speaking at the meeting on 'The Future of Food and Farming in Wales' were Lord Peter Melchett of the Soil Association, Professor Kevin Morgan of Cardiff University and the director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, Julian Rosser.

Decisions about whether GM crops should be grown in European Union countries are being made by the un-elected European Commission while the communities where the crop could be grown have no right to be involved in the decision making process.

Opposition to this state of affairs is escalating with 60 local authorities in the UK and the Welsh Assembly Government passing resolutions opposing GM crops. In Europe, 162 regions and 4,500 other areas have now declared themselves GM-free.[1]

Existing powers of local and regional authorities to restrict the planting of GM crops in their areas are, however, limited [2] and, according to Friends of the Earth Cymru, they need to be replaced by a law that enables local authorities or regional assemblies to impose a blanket ban on planting if they believe the GM crop would pose an environmental or economic threat.

Friends of the Earth Cymru's Assembly Campaigner, Gordon James, said:

"Current EU law is weak and offers little support for areas wanting to stay GM-free. Once a GM crop has been approved through the EU applications process, it can be grown anywhere in the EU. This means that GM crops can be grown in your area without the local authority or community being involved in the decision, even though there could be significant impacts on the local environment and economy. [3]

This is unacceptable, particularly as there is such widespread opposition to GM crops, and it is essential that local authorities and regional assemblies be given the democratic and legal right to decide whether or not GM crops can be grown in their area."

Friends of the Earth Cymru points out that decisions are being made right now at European level about whether or not to approve GM crops.

Gordon James continued:

"Biotechnology companies are pushing to get GM into Europe and pressure from the USA, by means of a complaint about European GM policy to the World Trade Organisation, has already resulted in the European Commission approving imports of new GM foods. There are also a number of new applications to grow GM crops in Europe and decisions on these are likely to be made over the next 12 months."

The Welsh Assembly has taken a lead in the UK and Europe in opposing GM crop cultivation. This successful campaign began in 1999 when two GM trial sites were announced at Llanishen in Monmouthshire. Friends of the Earth Cymru objected instantly on the grounds that the two oilseed rape crops could cross-pollinate with wild relatives and, after obtaining the support of the two local MPs, the farmer was persuaded to pull out of the trial.

Laura Anne Jones AM said:

"I am very pleased to be the first Welsh politician to sign this important petition. I think it is very appropriate that the petition should be launched in Wales at Monmouth close to where the first campaign to oppose GM crops in Wales took place.

I wish the present campaign every success and I look forward to the day when local people can decide for themselves whether or not they should have GM crops growing in their area."

The GM-free petition is supported by a coalition of organisations from 20 European countries in partnership with the Assembly of European Regions. Any tier of local government can sign the petition, including regional assemblies and county, community, unitary, district, town and parish councils. Individual councillors, as well as other politicians, such as MPs, AMs and MEPs, can also sign to show support in their personal capacity.

Notes

1. Further information: www.gmofree-europe.org/
2. This includes banning GM crops on council-owned land, banning GM foods in council services and applying Article 19 of the EU Deliberate Releases Directive (2001/18/EC) that allows local authorities to argue for conditions to be attached, on a case-by-case basis, in specific geographical areas.
3. The Government sponsored farm-scale trials showed that in three of the four crops tested (beet, winter and spring oilseed rape) growing the GM with the associated weedkiller was more damaging to farm wildlife than growing the conventional crop. Contamination of neighbouring organic and non-GM crops could have a significant economic impact.