Novartis Maize Remains Banned in Austria, Luxembourg

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

NOVARTIS TRANSGENIC MAIZE REMAINS BANNED IN AUSTRIA AND LUXEMBOURG

Brussels, 15 April 1998 -- The European Commission failed to outlaw
the import ban on genetically engineered maize declared by  Austria
and Luxembourg over a year ago. In a  vote finalised today the
Commission failed to get the required majority from EU countries (1)
to force Austria and Luxembourg to allow Novartis genetech maize (2) 
to enter their territories. 

"The European Commission should once and for all register that
European countries and the public in Europe do not want Novartis'
genetically altered maize," said Greenpeace spokesperson Louise Gale.
"The Commission should not have the right to force this both into the
environment and the food chain when countries and their public
consider it too dangerous", said Gale. "To please the biotech
industry, the European Commission has sacrificed democracy and the
protection of  the environment and public health."

Greenpeace blocked yesterday from 8 am the installations of the soya
import and processing company SOYA MILLS SA for 15 hours at Kalamaki 
(Korinth), Greece.   Activists, including activists from Germany,
climbed on a 30-metre high silo and hung a 300 square metre banner
with the words "Genetic Danger, Stop". SOYA MILLS SA is the second
biggest soya importer in Greece. The company has repeatedly refused to
ensure genetically engineered-free supplies. A total of 22 activists
were arrested, and will appear in court on July 3.

"As reflected throughout Europe, the Greek public is clearly against
the use of GE products in their food," Nikos Charalambides of
Greenpeace Greece. Government and independent scientists are now also
expressing their concerns about the releases of genetically
manipulated organisms into the environment, and the risks of these
releases on human health and the environment (3).

"Experts from Austria, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, the UK and
other countries such as Switzerland have raised concerns about
antibiotic resistance genes present in transgenic crops," said Gale.
"Will we have to wait for a genetic disaster before the European
Commission takes real precautionary measures and withdraws its
authorisation for this genetech maize of Novartis?" 

For more information: http://www.greenpeace.org

Notes
(1) Austria, Greece and Luxembourg objected to the European Commission
proposal. And Belgium, Denmark, France and Ireland abstained. 

(2) Novartis' transgenic maize contains three alien genes, one
conferring resistance against the antibiotic ampicillin, one
conferring tolerance against the herbicide glufosinate, and one
producing a toxin from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
which acts like an insecticide. 

(3) There is increasing scientific evidence demonstrating the high
risk of these transgenic Bt crops triggering the fast development of
resistant insects undermining the future use of the
environmentally-friendly, natural Bt formulation. In addition, 
Novartis transgenic maize may well jeopardize the future effectiveness
of ampicillin treatments of infectious diseases. Existing scientific
research documents that bacteria in the digestive tract of humans or
animals is highly likely to incorporate the antibiotic resistance
gene. Ampicillin is widely used in human therapy; for example, it is
used in the treatment of pneumonia, bronchitis or diphtheria.