Archived press release

Aventis told: speak or lose

5 October 2000

GM seed company Aventis was given a sharp warning today that its application to have the GM maize Chardon LL added to the National Seed List was likely to fail if it continued to refuse to give evidence at a public hearing into the proposal.

Alun Alesbury, the senior Barrister chairing the hearing told Aventis' legal team that he had now had time to think about the "situation produced by Aventis' double announcement" that they wouldn't supply witnesses to support the application or participate in the cross-examination of witnesses [all quotes from FOE's notes taken at the Hearing].

Mr Alesbury said: "the Friends of the Earth representation contains a considerable number of questions in relation to the soundness of any potential decision to add Chardon LL to the national list, which as a straightforward matter of fact are in no way at all answered in the Aventis written representations."

He then said that unless he could be persuaded that all objections not covered by Aventis' written submission are irrelevant, then "I will have had to report to Ministers that there are numerous points of objection which were not addressed in Aventis' original submissions and which have not been
answered at all by evidence at the Hearing." He continued: "Unless Ministers are persuaded that all points are irrelevant, how can they [Aventis] conceive that Ministers can make a decision favourable to their application". Aventis, he said should "think carefully on the stance they are adopting" or face the "almost inevitable consequences of that stance".

Peter Roderick, Legal Advisor to Friends of the Earth welcomed Mr Alesbury's comments, and said:

"Aventis have treated this hearing with cynical disdain. If they refuse to take a proper part they must take the consequences. They must now change their stance or withdraw their application for listing.

Aventis' behaviour at these vital hearings is a perfect example of how the biotech companies have behaved throughout the GM debate. They claim that their opponents are irrational. Yet when given the chance to defend their position in public, they show themselves arrogant, secretive, contemptuous of rational argument, and uninterested in public opinion."

Transcripts of the hearing can be found at:

http://www.maff.gov.uk/planth/pvs/chardon/index.htm

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust