(28/01/04) Europese Commissie verschaft misleidende informatie over GGO's

• 2004-01-28

Genetically modified organisms: Commission GM strategy misguided and out of touch

Responding to the European Commission's decision today to approve a proposal that would authorise the sale of genetically modified sweet corn in the EU, the Green/EFA Group in the European Parliament branded the Commission's approach misguided and out of touch with public sentiment. The Commission President Romano Prodi claimed that the EU already had a 'clear, transparent and stringent system' for the regulation of GM food, feed and plants but Green/EFA MEPs strenuously disagreed, highlighting a lack of legislation on the issues of co-existence, GM-free regions and civil liability in cases of environmental or health damage caused by GMOs.

Caroline Lucas, UK member of the Parliament's Industry Committee, said:
" The Commission's GM strategy is hopelessly misguided and out of touch. Claims that GMOs pose no threat either to humans or the environment are absolutely false. Studies conducted both in the UK and US have demonstrated that GMOs threaten biodiversity as well as releasing potentially harmful contaminants into the environment."

Patricia McKenna, Irish member of the Parliament's Environment Committee, said:
"There is no public demand for GM food in Europe. Where Member States have carried out public consultation the results have been overwhelmingly anti-GM. And where insufficient public consultation has been carried out – as is the case in Ireland – consumers are going to be marketed GM food they have never wanted. The decision today was entirely guided by business. It goes to show just how out of touch the Commission is with the European public."

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