GMO SAFETY DEAL UNDER THREAT

26 January 2000

LONDON/MONTREAL -– As approximately 50 Environment Ministers from all five continents arrive in Montreal today in a last minute attempt to break the deadlock of the Biosafety talks, Greenpeace warned that the stubbornness of the so-called 'Miami group' is putting the world's environment and the agricultural market at risk [1]. According to Greenpeace, the direct involvement of so many Environment Ministers demonstrates the extent of the crisis caused by the few countries that are imposing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the world’s food and agriculture.

Benny Haerlin, Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner, said: "These Environment Ministers can and must deliver a Biosafety Protocol that protects us and the environment from the proliferation of GMOs in food and agriculture. The Biosafety talks have been stalled for too long. Time is running out, and now the clear will of the vast majority must prevail; if the Miami Group wants to remain isolated, so be it. The rest of the world cannot be their hostage forever".

Greenpeace said that, technically, the Biosafety Protocol is ready to be adopted by consensus [2], regardless of the minority of countries that form the 'Miami Group'. "If these countries do not want to join the rest of the international community, their reservations can be simply recorded, or if they are foolish enough, they can call for a vote," said Haerlin.

"The U.S. and Canada have a long tradition of undermining international environmental negotiations. They usually promote the weakest compromise possible and, even if they manage to water that down, there is still no guarantee that they will implement the agreement. In contrast, if the agreement is strong, sooner or later they will have to join the ranks, otherwise they run the risk of losing billions in export markets for agricultural products," he added.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Remi Parmentier +1 416 831 8665
- Louise Gale +1 514 243 57 09
- Benny Haerlin +1 416 271 84 08
- Mika Railo +31 6 212 96 908

Follow the Biosafety Protocol negotiations on the web: www.greenpeace.org/~geneng/highlights/bio/montreal.htm

(1) The 'Miami Group' is a coalition formed by the US, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Australia to derail the efforts of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to protect biodiversity from releases of Genetically Modified Organisms.

(2) Notwithstanding the Miami Group, there is now enough support among the countries that are Contracting Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity this week to sign a Biosafety Protocol that would:

- be comprehensive in scope, covering all transboundary movements, including transit, of GMOs;

- include a strict Advanced Information Agreement, whereby the country of export will be required to solicit the explicit consent of the receiving country before any shipment of GMOs, including commodities; require traceability through labelling and segregation;

- identify the precautionary principle as the basis for preventive action before environmental harm takes place;

- not be subordinate to trade agreements.