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THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE
17 June 2004 Dear friends and colleagues,
RE: EUROPE VOTES AGAINST MONSANTO’S GM OILSEED RAPE In a vote by the newly expanded 25-Member European Union on 16 June, 12 countries rejected a Monsanto application to import GM oilseed rape because of safety concerns. Six out of 10 new Member States cast that vote. There were 9 countries in support of the application, with 4 abstentions. The GM oilseed rape, called GT73, has been modified to resist the company’s own chemical herbicide. The vote was the first test for the newly expanded EU following the European Commission’s decision in May to authorise the first GM food in over 5 years. That Bt11 sweet corn application by Syngenta was rejected by a number of Member States but under EU law, an impasse at the Council of Ministers results in a final decision by the European Commission. In the face of widespread consumer rejection of GM food and the continuing objections of a number of Member States, Syngenta announced almost immediately that it would not market the product even though authorisation has been obtained. [The import of processed Bt11 as corn oil, corn flour and corn starch has already been authorised since 1998. The May authorisation allows the GM sweet corn to be sold as whole grain, fresh or canned. The approval is valid for ten years.] Yesterday’s vote reflects the lack of confidence in the safety claims of Monsanto. In the run up to the vote, Friends of the Earth Europe alerted the public to an unpublished Monsanto feeding study that showed that rats fed the GM oilseed rape had a 15 % increase in liver weights. The UK Government’s scientific advisors have demanded a satisfactory explanation for this potentially adverse response observed in the rat feeding study. FOEE also revealed that Monsanto had failed to satisfy some Member States over the possibility that the imported oilseed rape seeds will escape into the environment (through spillage during transport for example) and create feral populations. The UK authorities have repeatedly called on Monsanto to produce an adequate monitoring plan and an emergency plan should it occur. Below is the FOEE press release with more details. With best wishes, Lim Li Lin and Chee Yoke Heong Third World Network 121-S Jalan Utama 10450 Penang Malaysia Email: twnet@po.jaring.my Website: www.twnside.org.sg
REF: Doc.TWN/Biosafety/2004/F Friends of the Earth Europe Press release For immediate release ‘NEW EUROPE’ BLOCKS U.S. FOOD IMPORT Confidential study casts doubt on GM food safety Results : For: 43 votes (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Netherlands. Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden) Against: 57 votes (Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, UK) Abstentions: 24 votes (Germany, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia) [Note: The votes are weighted] Brussels, 16 June 2004 European Member states have today blocked the approval of a genetically modified (GM) food from the biotech giant Monsanto. The twenty five member states of Europe, voting together for the first time on a GM food, failed to support the application to import Monsanto¹s GM oilseed rape into Europe. Remarkably 6 new EU member states voted against Monsanto’s oilseed rape. The application will now go back to the European Commission who must decide whether to push for a vote by Ministers or not. The GM oilseed rape, called GT73, has been modified to resist the company¹s own chemical herbicide. The vote was the first test for the newly expanded EU following the European Commission¹s decision last month to force through the first GM food in over 5 years (1). The result will be closely watched by the US Government who have started a trade dispute in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). US officials have recently stated that “the approval of a single product does not affect our WTO challenge, S[the lifting of the moratorium] does not indicate there is a consistently functioning approval process”. (2) In the run up to today’s vote Friends of the Earth revealed that: · A Monsanto feeding study on rats that was hidden from the public showed that rats fed the GM oilseed rape had a 15 % increase in liver weights. The UK Governments scientific advisors, usually known for their pro-GM stance, have demanded ³a satisfactory explanation for this potentially adverse response observed in the rat feeding study.(3) · Monsanto has failed to satisfy some member states over the possibility that the imported oilseed rape seeds will escape into the environment (through spillage during transport for example) and create feral populations. The UK authorities have repeatedly called on Monsanto to produce an adequate monitoring plan and an emergency plan should it occur. (3) Geert Ritsema, GMO Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe said: “This is an important result for ‘New Europe’. This vote shows that the US cannot count on the new member states to follow their policies in the area of genetically modified food. Member States have put the safety of European citizens and their environment before the financial interests of biotech giants like Monsanto and their friends in the White House. The European Commission should now follow suit and reject GM foods until their safety can be proven.” NOTES TO EDITORS 1. On 19th May the European Commission approved the import of a GM sweet corn after sufficient Member States failed to support it. This was the first new product authorised in Europe since 1998. 2. Statement by US trade spokesperson Christopher Padilla, New York Times, 15 May 2004, ‘Europeans Appear Ready To Approve A Biotech Corn’ 3. Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment (ACRE), http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/advice/pdf/acre_advice36.pdf CONTACT Geert Ritsema, Friends of the Earth Europe mobile +31 (0)6 290 05 908 Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Earth Europe mobile +49 (0)1609 490 1163
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