Austria's Ban on Genetically Engineered Maize

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

GREENPEACE CALLS ON EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS TO JOIN IN AUSTRIA'S
BAN ON GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MAIZE


Amsterdam, 6th February 1997:  Two days after the French
Government announced their decision to go ahead with the
import, growth and use of genetically engineered Bt maize,
Austria has banned the maize from coming into their country.

The  French decision opens the door for Ciba Geigy's (now
Novartis) Bt maize to flood into Europe.  It could lead to the
first genetically engineered crop being grown commercially on
European soil.  

Since France made the original proposal for the maize to be
accepted by the EU, it was necessary for France to authorise
the crop before it became legal in any part of Europe.  

Now Austria, for the first time in Europe, has used Article 16
of the European Directive which governs the release of
genetically engineered organisms into the environment to block
the maize in their country.  Austria has stated that it does
not believe the health and environmental risks of the Bt maize
were properly considered by the European Commission when they
granted approval to the maize on January 23rd.

Now Greenpeace is calling on other European member states to
use Article 16 and ban the maize.

"We are convinced that neither consumers nor farmers are keen
to run into any more problems caused by unnatural animal feed. 
This crop should never have been authorised.  Now its up to
national Governments to keep it out of our countryside, and
out of our food", said Greenpeace.

Before the maize can be grown on European soil France has to
formally register the Bt maize in its list of approved
varieties for agricultural use.  This then allows Ciba Geigy
to sell seeds for planting.

"Growing this maize will put Europe's entire farming industry
at risk, as well as the wider environment.  France must listen
to its European neighbours, and its own citizens' concerns,
block planting of this genetically engineered seed and protect
our farmland and countryside from irreversible damage." 

Thirteen countries in the EU have expressed concerns about the
maize, which carries an antibiotic resistance gene.  It's
feared that this could spread to harmful bacteria  - in the
gut of animals fed on the maize, for instance - rending the
important antibiotic ampicillin ineffective in treatment of
bacteria related disease.   The Bt maize also produces its own
pesticide - Bacillus thurigensis (Bt).  It is likely to
trigger Bt resistance in insects thereby making the natural
occuring Bt toxin, widely used by organic farmers, completely
useless as a natural pesticide.

 The European Commission does not question that this is likely
but  simply states "a potential develoment of insect
resistance to the Bt  toxin cannot be considered an adverse
environmental effect."  


" Such arrogance completely undermines any attempts to cut
down on toxic chemicals in the environment by farming in a
sustainable way."