EU seeks truce in GM crops battle
Monday, 12 July 2010
BRUSSELS, July 11 (AFP): Europe's long battle over genetically modified crops takes a new turn Tuesday when the European Commission offers a truce with governments to break an impasse blocking their development.
The EU's executive arm will propose to give individual governments the freedom to ban such products in their countries and ask in exchange that states relax their opposition to new crop applications by biotech firms.
The idea has raised alarm bells among opponents of biotech foods who fear that the proposals would pave the way for GM crops to sprout across the European Union.
"This is an empty deal that could open up Europe's fields to unwanted and risky GM crops," said Mute Schimpf, food campaigner for environmental group Friends of the Earth Europe.
"Any country wanting to ban GM crops under these proposals will open themselves up to legal challenges from the biotech corporations who want to force GM crops into Europe," Schimpf said.
The proposals do not give states more powers to ban GM crops based on health and environmental grounds, the group said. Instead, it gives additional ethical grounds that can easily be overturned in court.
Opponents speak of "frankenfoods" which will inevitably contaminate other crops and for which there can be no definitive evidence of their safety.
Supporters argue that such crops have higher yields, resist pests and disease better, and require less fertiliser and pesticide.
"Farmers must be given the choice," said Yann Fichet, institutional affairs director for US biotech giant Monsanto in France.
The EU's executive arm will propose to give individual governments the freedom to ban such products in their countries and ask in exchange that states relax their opposition to new crop applications by biotech firms.
The idea has raised alarm bells among opponents of biotech foods who fear that the proposals would pave the way for GM crops to sprout across the European Union.
"This is an empty deal that could open up Europe's fields to unwanted and risky GM crops," said Mute Schimpf, food campaigner for environmental group Friends of the Earth Europe.
"Any country wanting to ban GM crops under these proposals will open themselves up to legal challenges from the biotech corporations who want to force GM crops into Europe," Schimpf said.
The proposals do not give states more powers to ban GM crops based on health and environmental grounds, the group said. Instead, it gives additional ethical grounds that can easily be overturned in court.
Opponents speak of "frankenfoods" which will inevitably contaminate other crops and for which there can be no definitive evidence of their safety.
Supporters argue that such crops have higher yields, resist pests and disease better, and require less fertiliser and pesticide.
"Farmers must be given the choice," said Yann Fichet, institutional affairs director for US biotech giant Monsanto in France.