Greenpeace Calls on EU Commission to stop Maize

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

GREENPEACE CALLS ON EU COMMISSION TO STOP MAIZE AUTHORISATION
 
BRUSSELS, April 8, 1997-- Greenpeace today called on the European  
Commission  to listen to  the European Parliament and stop 
sacrificing human health and environmental safety in Europe in 
favour of US trade pressure on genetically engineered (GE) maize 
and to immediately withdraw its authorisation of the GE maize and  
GE soya beans. 

The European Parliament today roundly condemned the Commission for 
its  18 December authorisation of genetically altered maize and 
demanded that the Commission suspend approval of genetically 
engineered maize and soya beans. 

The resolution [detail vote] was almost unprecedented in its use of 
strong language, condemning the Commission for its lack of 
responsibility in taking a unilateral decision to authorise the 
maize,  despite the fact that only one of 15 member states supported 
it. [13 voted against, one abstained].

Indeed US trade pressures on the EU approval process were 
specifically cited by EU Commissioner Emma Bonino,  as revealed in 
January, in leaked minutes of an EU Commission meeting to approve 
the genetically altered maize. She said that "...I nevertheless 
regret that the Commission had to take a decision on an issue about 
which the public feels so strongly, under pressure and urged on 
because of the import of considerable stocks of maize from the 
US..." 

Meanwhile the United States continues to step up pressure 
on Europe to stop any push for segregation of genetically altered 
grains from natural grains. The US has called a meeting with 
European trade officials to discuss EU regulations and labelling 
for genetically altered food products, to be held in Washington on 
April 17-18 [1].  The EU bought $9 billion worth of US food and 
feed products last year. 

 "The Commission has totally failed to consider Europe's health and  
environment in favour of US trade pressure to increase the profits of 
agro-chemical companies making millions out of genetic engineering. 
 MEPs have today voted on one of the strongest resolutions yet seen 
in the Parliament and Greenpeace applauds them for it.  It's time 
to stop this genetic nightmare," said Louise Gale of Greenpeace's 
EU Unit.

 In the case of the genetically manipulated maize, Austria, 
Luxembourg and Italy have invoked a previously unused national 
caveat on European Commission decisions in this area, known as 
Article 16,  which allows EU states to temporarily ban the imports 
or use of GMOs.  France,  the original sponsor of the genetically 
altered maize has now banned its planting in France although 
paradoxically the French government allows the import of food 
products made from genetically altered corn.

 In another development Austrians began voting in a national 
referendum yesterday on whether to ban environmental releases of 
genetically manipulated organisms  along with a ban on genetically 
manipulated food in that country.  The referendum is being held in 
an atmosphere of high level public interest in the issue,  where 
polling shows that 75-86% of Austrians object to genetically 
manipulated organisms in food and agricultural products.  The 
results will be announced on April 14.   The referendum was 
initiated by a coalition of four organisations of which Greenpeace 
is a member.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : Louise Gale at 
the Greenpeace European Unit, ++32 2 280 1400 Cindy Baxter or 
Isabelle Meister, Greenpeace International ++31 20 523 6279.