BRUSSELS, April 8, 1997-- Greenpeace today called on the European Commission to listen to the European Parliament and stop sacrificing human health and environmental safety in Europe in favour of US trade pressure on genetically engineered (GE) maize and to immediately withdraw its authorisation of the GE maize and GE soya beans.
The European Parliament today roundly condemned the Commission for its 18 December authorisation of genetically altered maize and demanded that the Commission suspend approval of genetically engineered maize. The resolution was passed with 407 votes in favour, 2 against and 19 abstentions, and was almost unprecedented in its use of strong language, condemning the Commission for its lack of responsibility in taking a unilateral decision to authorise the maize, despite the fact that only one of 15 member states supported it. [13 voted against, one abstained]
Indeed US trade pressures on the EU approval process were specifically cited by EU Commissioner Emma Bonino, as revealed in January, in leaked minutes of an EU Commission meeting to approve the genetically altered maize. She said that "...I nevertheless regret that the Commission had to take a decision on an issue about which the public feels so strongly, under pressure and urged on because of the import of considerable stocks of maize from the US..."
Meanwhile the United States continues to step up pressure on Europe to stop any push for segregation of genetically altered grains from natural grains. The US has called a meeting with European trade officials to discuss EU regulations and labelling for genetically altered food products, to be held in Washington on April 17-18 [1].
"The Commission has totally failed to consider Europe's health and environment in favour of US trade pressure to increase the profits of agro-chemical companies making millions out of genetic engineering. MEPs have today voted on one of the strongest resolutions yet seen in the Parliament and Greenpeace applauds them for it. It's time to stop this genetic nightmare," said Louise Gale of Greenpeace's EU Unit.
In the case of the genetically manipulated maize, Austria, Luxembourg and Italy have invoked a previously unused national caveat on European Commission decisions in this area, known as Article 16, which allows EU states to temporarily ban the imports or use of GMOs. France, the original sponsor of the genetically altered maize has now banned its planting in France although paradoxically the French government allows the import of food products made from genetically altered corn.
In another development Austrians began voting in a national referendum yesterday on whether to ban environmental releases of genetically manipulated organisms along with a ban on genetically manipulated food in that country. The referendum is being held in an atmosphere of high level public interest in the issue, where polling shows that 75-86% of Austrians object to genetically manipulated organisms in food and agricultural products. The results will be announced on April 14.
Greenpeace Austria today dumped a ton of GE soyabeans at the US embassy with a banner saying "Return to Sender", in protest at the US's forcing genetically engineered products onto the market.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
* Louise Gale at the Greenpeace European Unit, ++32 2 280 1400
* Cindy Baxter or Isabelle Meister, Greenpeace International
++31 20 523 6279.
NOTES [1] US Department of Agriculture official Timothy Galvin told Reuters on March 14 said: "hopefully, the meetings will allow us to obtain direct answers in some of the issues that seem to have pushed EU regulatory policy out of focus"
[2] Europe is almost totally on imported soyabeans, much of which comes from the USA and so is genetically contaminated, but produces almost all its maize requirement.