Background - 18 April, 2005
Rotterdam - A shipment with 50000 tons of maize corn gluten from US which arrived at Rotterdam harbour on Sunday is being unloaded despite the vote last Friday of European Member states to implement an emergency measure to prevent illegal GMO maize corn products (Bt10) from entering the EU food market.
Following the decision Greenpeace conducted research to see when
andwhere any future shipments of corn gluten feed from the US was
due toarrive in the EU. It was discovered that there was a shipment
due toarrive in the Netherlands on Sunday 17th April to
Rotterdam.
Greenpeace has informed the Dutch authorities of the ships
arrival andof its cargo. When approached by a Greenpeace
spokesperson the crew ofthe vessel, "Victory C", confirmed that
they do not have the documentsproving the absence of unauthorised
Bt10 that is called for by the EUemergency measures.
From 8 am Monday morning the cargo from ship "Victory C" started
to beunloaded to a smaller boat to transport the corn gluten feed
to animalfeed storage warehouses near the harbour.
However the Dutch Government is so far not trying to stop the
ship fromunloading. It has said that it will conduct some testings
on theshipment but has given no other indication that it is taking
action.
Last Friday the member states of the EU have decided that no
more maizecorn from US is allowed to be placed on the market as
long ascertification for absence of Bt 10, an unauthorised
geneticallymodified maize, can not be proven.
Greenpeace is asking authorities to prevent the shipment from
unloadingthe remains of it's unwanted cargo. If the material is
unloaded aguarantee should be given by the Dutch government that
the corn glutenfeed will not leave Rotterdam harbour until evidence
that it is notcontaminated by Bt 10 has been given. If that can not
be given thenthis illegal cargo should be returned to the US or be
destroyed.
This looks like another proof that GMO regulation in Europe is
notworking in practise. Today it is exactly one year since the
newEuropean regulation for food and feed came into force requiring
fulllabelling of GMOs. Since then a number of deficiencies have
beenrevealed. There is lack of consumer protection due to
insufficientregulation concerning coexistence, labelling of animal
products andproper risk assessment.