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Britain lags behind europe on GM policy
25 June 1999
Friends of the Earth today slammed the UK Government over its failure to sign up to a ban on GM crops in Europe. FOE argue that the UK's weak position in dealing with the GM multinationals could mean that this country will become the open-air laboratory for GM crop testing for the whole of Europe.
A ban was proposed or implied in two declarations supported by all EU countries except the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. They would have stopped commercial growing until the newly amended GM Directive (90/220) is in place, which may not be until 2002. The UK argued that a moratorium would be illegal under the rules of the World Trade Organisation. But FOE and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds have previously commissioned and published a legal opinion from an authoritative international lawyer(Phillipe Sands) explaining how a moratorium could be legally imposed.
However, FOE has broadly welcomed the contents of the revised Directive which places tighter controls on the development, testing and commercial licensing of crops.
Friends of the Earth's Campaigns Director, Liana Stupples said:
“Why is the UK Government isolated once again in Europe, in trying to defend this runaway technology? If the rest of Europe effectively bans GM crops our countryside could become the testing bed for the whole of Europe. This would be utterly unacceptable to the British public.”
Friends of the Earth has also reacted angrily to news that the UK has sided with Germany to oppose a proposed Directive on car recycling, which the UK had previously supported.The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is said to have done a deal with his German counterpart,Gerhard Schroeder, whereby he forced Mr Meacher to u-turn in exchange for German favours on other issues. Mr Meacher told the meeting that he found the debate "extremely
uncomfortable" and that the UK supported the Directive text but would vote against it [1].
NOTES TO EDITORS
[1] ENDS Daily 24 June 1999
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
