Global Policy Forum

European member states today failed to support a proposal by the European Commission to import a controversial genetically modified (GM) maize. The maize, made by US biotech giant Monsanto, failed to get the required qualified majority from representatives of the member states in an indicative vote.

The maize, which has been genetically modified to resist certain insects by producing a toxin in the plant, has been heavily criticised by scientists from a number of countries, particularly France. The French Commission for Genetic Engineering (CGB) was alarmed by the results of a feeding study of the GM maize on rats. This showed significantly different levels of white blood cells, kidney weights and kidney structure, as well as lower albumin/globulin rates in the rats fed the GM maize. The Director of the French national research body, INRA, who is a member of CGB, stated, "I hear the argument of natural variability, but what struck me in this file is the number of anomalies. There are too many elements here where significant variations are observed. I never saw that in another file." [1]. The confidential minutes of the CGB meeting (in French) are available from Friends of the Earth.

Last Thursday an alliance of environmental, farming and civil society organisations [2] wrote to the European Union's executive Commission accusing them of "caving in" to pressure by the United States and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to accept GM foods. The United States, Canada and Argentina started proceedings last year in the WTO over Europe's position on GM foods. [3]

Today's indicative vote by a European regulatory committee is the eighth failed attempt by the Commission to win support for a GM product. The Commission must now decide whether to send the Monsanto application to a vote by Ministers. If there is no agreement from Ministers the Commission will make a decision itself. In May this year the Commission approved a GM maize even though there was insufficient support from member states.

Friends of the Earth Europe's GM campaigner, Adrian Bebb, said: "The European Commission seems determined to force genetically modified foods down consumers' throats even when there are serious questions marks about their long term safety. Their actions are undemocratic. People in Europe have made it consistently clear that they do not want to eat genetically foods. It's time the Commission listened and took action to keep Europe GM-free".

Notes

1. Le Monde, 22 April 2004

2. The groups include Friends of the Earth, ATTAC France, ATTAC Hungary, ATTAC Poland, ATTAC Stuttgart. Both ENDS, Netherlands. CIIR, Catholic Institute for International Relations. CPE, European Farmers Coordination. EHNE, Basque Farmers' Union, Spain. Five Years Freeze, UK. GeneWatch UK, Greenpeace, European Unit. Gooden Waar & Co, Netherlands. HIVOS, Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries, the Netherlands. IFOAM, The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. NordBruk, Sweden. OXFAM Solidarité, Belgium. Rete Lilliput, Italy. RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Smí¥brukare i Sjuhärad, Sweden. Transnational Institute Amsterdam. URFIG, Unité de Recherche, de Formation et d'Information sur la Globalisation. Weed, Weltwirtschaft, í–kologie & Entwicklung e.V. Germany. Wemos, Netherlands. WIDE, Women in Development Europe.

3. The letter can be found here.

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