Archived press release

Uk GM food attempt fails

30 April 2004

Despite the UK voting against public opinion today by voting for the import of a GM maize for human food into Europe, EU member states have upheld the GM moratorium by failing to support the application by US-based multinational Monsanto [1]. Earlier in the week, Agriculture Ministers also failed to support a different maize application after disagreements emerged over its safety [2]. No new GM foods or crops have been approved for import or growing since 1998.

At today's meeting of the EUs Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, member states voted on the import of a GM maize called NK603 for human food. The Food Standards Agency represented the UK position, supporting the application. The GM maize has been genetically modified to be resistant to Monsantos herbicide called RoundUp. In February member states failed to support the same GM crop for use as an animal feed.

Friends of the Earth is critical of the Monsanto application which:

• fails to look at the grain's effects on subsequent generations, cumulative toxic effects and the effects on the health of sensitive consumers as required under EU food law [3]
• fails to explain or fully investigate unexpected discoveries occurring after the genetic modification [4]
• insufficiently investigated the possibility of the modification causing more allergies [5]

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

"Once again the UK Government has ignored people's concerns and supported the import of a GM food. But despite pressure from the US and biotech companies to force GM foods down our throats, many member states have refused to support the application.It is time the Tony Blair listened to our demands for safe food that comes from environmentally friendly farming, rather than supporting biotech interests".

Also today, anti-GM campaigners have been protesting at the Annual General Meeting of Europe's largest GM company, the German-based Bayer. They are protesting about Bayer's involvement in GM crops and highlighted how Bayer's GM plans have gone wrong, ranging from its recent withdrawal from the UK market, the recommendation to ban its GM oilseed rape and the objections by EU member states and people in developing countries to its GM rice.

Geert Ritsema, GM Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe said:

"It is about time that Bayer faces reality. GM foods are a failure. They area risk to human health and the vast majority of consumers in Europe do not want them. Financial sense would dictate that Bayer should quit the GM business."

Notes

[1] Results of GMO Vote:

Against: Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal
Abstain: Germany, Spain
For: UK, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Sweden

[2] www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
gm_maize_eu_ministers_fail_26042004.html

[3] Article 14(4) of Regulation 178/2002

[4] Unexpected sequences discovered in the genome after the modification. Research shows that such sequences could shut down neighbouring genes.

[5] International guidance on allergy testing that EU scientists produced in 2003 should mean that Monsanto would have to do more thorough testing.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust