Archived press release

EU Commission condemned over GM contamination policy

3 April 2006

EU's GM "Coexistence" conference: Freedom of choice - but who for?

Friends of the Earth condemns Commission contamination policy

Genetically modified (GM) crops can only be grown in Europe if widespread contamination of organic and conventional foods is permitted, Friends of the Earth says today in a new publication. This week the Commission is holding a conference in Vienna on the "coexistence" of GM and non GM farming.

Friends of the Earth is scathing of the European Commission's policy on GM crops, claiming it is only listening to industry and ignoring European law and the majority of the public. Meanwhile the UK Government is shortly expected to launch a series of consultations on "coexistence". Environment minister Margaret Beckett has already indicated that her Department will take the same weak position to that of the Commission.

The Commission's policy on the "coexistence" of genetically modified (GM), conventional and organic crops [1], is due to be presented this week at the Vienna conference, entitled "Freedom of Choice" [2]. It refuses to accept that organic and conventional farming have the right to remain GM free, and paves the way for GM crops to be grown on a large scale.

Friends of the Earth's new publication [3] - Contaminate or legislate? - claims that the Commission is pushing for "coexistence" rules to routinely allow up to 0.9% GM contamination of conventional and organic crops, because anything containing up to 0.9% accidental GM contamination does not have to be labelled [4]. But this denies consumers and farmers a genuine choice, and if accepted will lead to an inevitable rise in genetic contamination.

The Commission also refuses to include environmental and health aspects in "coexistence" measures and ignores legal advice from a senior international lawyer who has found its policy on acceptable contamination levels "wrong in law" [5].

Friends of the Earth's GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"Freedom of choice - but who for? The European Commission seems determined to allow genetically modified crops to be grown regardless of whether they contaminate our food and countryside. This policy puts industry interests before all else and threatens the very existence of sustainable farming and quality food. The Commission has a chance this week to listen to the concerns over GM crops from across Europe. It is not too late for them to make a U-turn and put the welfare of the public before the interests of the biotech industry."

Opposition to GMOs continues to grow in the EU. There are 12 national bans against GMOs [6] and Member States recently strongly criticised the EU GMO authorization procedure [7] for its lack of transparency and democracy. No qualified majority has been reached by European Ministers in favour of authorizing GMOs since the ending of the EU moratorium. Furthermore, 172 regions have declared their wish to be GMO-free [8].

Friends of the Earth Europe will be at the Coexistence conference in Vienna from April 4th to April 6th, and will be speaking in workshop C on April 5th (at 14h30).

Notes

[1] Communication COM(2006)104 final "Report on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming"

[2] The conference will be held from 4-6 April and is being held as part of the Austrian presidency of the EU http://coexistenceconference.intbase.com (password: coexistence)

[3] "Contaminate or legislate? European Commission policy on "coexistence (PDF)", Friends of the Earth Europe, April 2006

[4] Genetically Modified Food and Feed Regulation 1829/2003

[5] Main points in the Commission Report on Coexistence 2006:

1. Ignores Member States' and EU Regions' wishes

• 50% of Member States' legal proposals on coexistence rejected
• GMO-free Regions and Member States threatened with legal action
• Member States not allowed to ban GMOs in ecologically sensitive areas
• GMOs authorised under out-of-date legislation and Member State opposition ignored

2. Disregards independent legal advice

• legal advice that 0.9% threshold is "legally irrelevant" ignored, but does not threaten legal action if Member States fix lower thresholds
• legal opinion on Organic Regulation disregarded

3. Favours non mandatory measures

• non-mandatory coexistence measures are sufficient
• insurance schemes for contamination should not be mandatory
• crop segregation should not be mandatory
• case by case approval/notification procedures rejected
• EU-wide law rejected, "wait and contaminate" approach adopted*_ _*

4. Rejects consideration of health and environmental issues

• only economic aspects considered
• evidence of environmental damage and from growing GMOs ignored
  www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/contaminate_or_legislate.pdf (PDF)

[6] for list of national bans see page 5 www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/contaminate_or_legislate.pdf (PDF)

[7] EU Environment Council public debate on GMOs, March 9^th 2006

[8] www.gmofree-europe.org/

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust