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European Commission to allow farmers to sow approved modified crops (Sunday, July 20, 2003 -- CropChoice news) -- Reuters, 07/18/03: BRUSSELS - The European Commission will say next week
that public authorities cannot ban farmers from planting genetically
modified crops, supporting those farmers who want to embrace the
controversial technology.
The EU executive will agree guidelines on Wednesday on how GMO crops can
be grown along with organic and conventional crops, part of a push to
lift the five-year moratorium on GMO crops that is under attack from the
United States.
"A group of farmers in a region can club together and decide not to
grow GMO crops but a regional or national government cannot create a
GMO-free zone," said an EU official on Friday, adding that the freedom
of farmers to choose is enshrined in EU law.
The provincial government of upper Austria has banned genetically
modified organisms but the European Food Safety Authority recently said
there was no justification.
The Commission will take the final decision on the Austrian case in September.
The co-existence debate is seen by many in the biotech industry as
another way for GMO-sceptical countries to postpone lifting the
five-year ban on most GMO crops.
It follows the adoption in principal of rules to label all GMO food and
feed earlier this month, giving consumers the choice between GM and
non-GMO products on supermarket shelves.
But growing GMO crops in Europe still provides a number of headaches.
Who should pay if genetic material is found in organic and conventional
crops -- the farmer or seed producer?
Green groups and a number of member states want binding EU legislation
where the biotech industry would foot the bill, paying for such 'contamination'.
But the EU executive says that is up to national authorities.
EU farm ministers will discuss the Commission's guidelines in September.
"The Commission says that member states should check whether some
liability laws need to be changed or updated and also look at insurance
policies," said an EU official.
Meanwhile, the Piedmont regional government in Italy recently ordered
the destruction of 381 hectares of maize fields thought to contain
genetic material.
It is not clear yet who will pay the cost. | |
