US & EU Join Forces to Promote Biotech Soybean

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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               GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> THE US AND EU COMMISSION JOIN FORCES TO PROMOTE GENETICALLY
MANIPULATED SOYBEAN.
 
AMSTERDAM, March 6, 1996, (GP) Greenpeace urges the EU Member
States to reject the proposal to import 14 million tonnes of a
mix of genetically engineered soybeans with natural soybeans
from the US. The matter is now being voted on by EU Member
States by a secret written procedure.
 
The US soybean, which has been made herbicide tolerant, could
be the first Europe wide product to be approved for human
consumption. It will be used for animal fodder and may be used
for food products such as baby food, margarine and vegetarian
products.
 
"This clearly denies EU farmers and consumers, who are
sceptical about genetically engineered products, the right to
an informed choice of whether they are buying natural or
unnatural products," said Jesper Grolin of Greenpeace
International, "The
multi-million dollar gen-tech industry is not only releasing
irreversible genetic pollution into the environment, but it is
using the European consumers as guinea pigs."
 
Strong demands from Denmark, among other countries, to have
the genetically manipulated American soybean labelled has met
with strong US opposition. Greenpeace  was informed by the US
Embassy in Copenhagen that labelling requirements would lead
to trade measures impacting all agricultural trade with the
EU.
 
In January of this year, when the European Commission decided
to approve the first genetically manipulated crop, oil seed
rape, it happened with strong objections from several EU
Member States. Their concerns were about labelling and the
environmental safety of herbicide tolerant crops. Herbicide
tolerant crops may lead multi-resistant superweeds. The
Commission committed itself to carefully consider these
concerns in the context of the current review of EU directive
90/220 on deliberate releases of
genetically manipulated organisms.
 
"An approval of the American genetically mutated soybean will
clearly prejudice the outcome of the current EU policy review
on monitoring gen-tech products." added Grolin
 
                         ==ENDS==
 
For information contact:
Jesper Grolin ++45-33-935344
Isabelle Meister ++41-1-2959494

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