Archived press release

Europe Caves in to US pressure on GM Sweetcorn

4 November 2003

Friends of the Earth has attacked the European Commission after documents seen by the environmental pressure group reveal that it wants to allow unprocessed genetically modified (GM) sweet corn into shops, breaking Europe's moratorium on GM food.

The European Commission is trying to get the GM sweet corn, known as "Bt11", approved quickly before new legislation comes into force in November which would subject the modified vegetable, made by Swiss-based Syngenta, to more rigorous new tests. In May this year a US-led coalition launched an official complaint at the World Trade Organisation against Europe's moratorium on GM foods and crops.

The documents from the EC's Director-General (1) show that the Commission will ask member states to approve Bt11 in a vote (on November 10 or December 12) under the previous, weaker Novel Food Regulations.

Friends of the Earth Europe's GM campaigner Adrian Bebb said:

"The Commission's behaviour is disgraceful. The Commission is caving in to US pressure and trying to ram through GM foods using out-dated laws rather than protecting the interests of the public. If the Commission gets its way, there is a big chance that these foods would get to the market unlabelled. Europe's member states must stand up to the US pressure and make GM foods go through the more transparent and thorough approval process that will be applicable next year.

"If the Commission proceeds with this plan, it will make the European public even more suspicious against genetically modified food."

The new approval process and labelling regime for GM foods (2) - which will be applicable in April 2004, is a substantial improvement on the present Novel Foods Regulations it replaces as it:

• Enforces strict traceability of the food and facilitates recalls should anything go wrong.

• Installs mandatory labelling of all processed food and animal feed derived from GMOs, whereas under the present, outdated Regulation, only fresh foods will have to be labelled.

• Gives the new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) a mandate to take into account not only short or middle term effects but also effects on future generations, probable cumulative toxic effects and the effects on health sensitive consumers.

Friends of the Earth previously called for the application for a marketing consent for Bt11 maize to be rejected for health and environmental reasons and the fact that Syngenta withheld crucial food safety data on the grounds of "commercial confidentiality".

Notes

[1] The document called "Commission Staff Working Document : Information note concerning forthcoming decisions on GMOs and GM food, feed and seed" can be found at: http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/03/st13/st13733.en03.pdf (PDF†)

[2] EC Regulation on genetically modified food and feed (1829/2003) and Regulation concerning the traceability of genetically modified organisms (1830/2003)

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust