EU Environment Ministers vote against sound
science
Brussels, December 18 2006
The EU's Environment Council has today delivered a blow to the prospects
for growth and jobs in Europe, according to EuropaBio. By backing
Austria's illegal ban on the cultivation of EU-approved GM crops, the
Council has seriously damaged the credibility of the regulatory system
on which much of Europe's innovative and industrial capacity relies,
says the European biotechnology industry association. Today’s vote
denies Austrian farmers the freedom of choice and the possibility to
grow GM if they want to.
"At issue is whether scientific opinions are to be respected and whether
decision-making is to be rational in Europe", said Johan Vanhemelrijck,
EuropaBio's Secretary General.
The European Commission had asked the Council to overturn the Austrian
ban on two genetically-modified maize seeds which have repeatedly been
pronounced safe after protracted EU reviews. One of the products,
Mon810, is designed to resist the European corn borer, a widespread moth
larva that can destroy crops. It is already grown in Spain, France,
Germany, Portugal and the Czech Republic without any safety or
environmental issues, thus demonstrating that Austria's objections are
without foundation. The other, T25, permits farmers to use a
broad-spectrum herbicide for weed control without damaging the crop.
(Details of the products and their safety assessment appear below.)
But a qualified majority of member states today rejected the European
Commission call for the prohibition to be repealed.
"The EU's own scientific assessments have repeatedly made clear that
there is no reason to consider that the products constitute a risk to
human health or the environment", said Johan Vanhemelrijck. "The Council
is undermining the authority of its own expert advisors. Europe is the
only region in the world that votes on its science, the community must
start to believe its own scientific opinions.”
This is the second time the Council has refused Commission proposals to
overturn these illegal bans. Already in June 2005 a qualified majority
of member states upheld Austria's position, and required further
information.
"Today's decision by the Council displays an alarming indifference to
the EU's own rules, and to common sense", said Simon Barber, Director of
EuropaBio. "The further information the Council requested in 2005 has
now been provided, and it indicates unambiguously that the products
carry none of the risks alleged. But still the Council declines to
follow the advice of the EU's own expert advisory bodies. This departure
from rational decision-making is disconcerting - not only for these two
products, but for every innovator in every industrial sector that is
subject to EU regulation. If the EU ceases to follow its own rules,
innovators and investors are left in a state of profound uncertainty -
and that is deeply discouraging for growth and for jobs. It will be no
surprise if this continued disarray in the EU induces more companies to
move their research and investment abroad to regions with more
predictable and consistent regulatory regimes".
EuropaBio points out that the knowledge-based bio-economy, repeatedly
recognised by the EU to be a crucial element in the renewed jobs and
growth strategy, can fully deliver on its potential only if the
regulatory framework is consistent and consistently implemented. The
European Commission has recognised this, and so too have many member
states. But other member states continue to put these opportunities at
risk by allowing local political considerations to distort the
decision-making process.
Given a predictable regulatory environment, the sector can:
- exploit its innovative capacity to diversify from food/feed into
renewable bio-based resources and bio-energy;
- increasingly provide raw-biomaterials for other industrial sectors
- maintain its investment in European research and innovation
MON 810
In 1998 the European Commission gave its consent for the marketing
of Monsanto's Zea Mays L. line MON 810, and France authorised the
product. Austria prohibited the use and sale of the product in 1999, but
its justifications for the prohibition were rejected by the EU's
Scientific Committee on Plants in 1999, and in 2004 and again in 2006 by
the European Food Safety Authority.
T25
In 1998 the European Commission gave its consent for the marketing
of Aventis' Zea Mays L. line T 25, and France authorised the product.
Austria prohibited the use and sale of the product in May 2000, but its
justifications for the prohibition were rejected in 2001 by the
Scientific Committee on Plants, and by EFSA in 2004, and again in 2006
In both cases, EFSA concluded that there is no reason to believe that
the continued placing on the market of these products "is likely to
cause any adverse effects for human and animal health or the environment
under the conditions of its consent."
For more information, contact
Adeline Farrelly Tel: +32 2 735 0313 - Direct: +32 2 739 1174 - Mobile:
+32 475 93 17 24
Email:
a.farrelly@europabio.org
Simon Barber, Tel: +32 2 735 0313 - Direct: +739 1172 - Mobile: +32 476
44 24 20
Email: s.barber@europabio.org
Nathalie Moll, Tel: +32 2 735 0313 - Mobile: +32 473 88 45 78
Email: n.moll@europabio.org
About EuropaBio
EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 70 direct
members operating Worldwide, 12 associate members and 5 bioregions as
well as 24 national biotechnology associations representing some 1800
small and medium sized enterprises involved in research and development,
testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.
http://www.europabio.org
