Greenpeace activists occupied the Monsanto?s European/African Headquarters in Brussels to hold the world?s leading producer of genetically modified (GM) crops responsible of spreading genetic contamination. The US chemicals giant Monsanto, responsible of over 90% of GM crops grown in the world, has aggressively lobbied for no or little regulatory control for its GM products.
Greenpeace activists today occupied the Monsanto's
European/African Headquarters in Brussels to hold the world's
leading producer of genetically modified (GM) crops responsible of
spreading genetic contamination, and waging a global war on people
and the environment via the World Trade Organisation. The US
chemicals giant Monsanto, responsible of over 90% of GM crops grown
in the world, has aggressively lobbied for no or little regulatory
control for its GM products (1).
"We challenge Monsanto to step out of the shadows from where it
is calling the shots. Monsanto's crops are the major source of
genetic contamination in conventional and organic crops not only in
Europe but also in Brazil, Canada and India. With the WTO case, the
US administration is now openly fighting for Monsanto's interest
and defending the GMO industry, which is facing market rejection in
several continents," said Eric Gall, GMO Policy Advisor for the
Greenpeace European Unit.
The EU agriculture ministers are set to meet in Brussels next
week to discuss genetic contamination on conventional and organic
crops, the so-called "co-existence" issue. The current proposal
from the European Commission fails to protect both the environment
and the interests of non-GM farmers and consumers. The EU
commission proposal is at odds with both the precautionary
principle and the polluter pays principle (2).
"The current European Commission co-existence proposal is
utterly unacceptable. It must be the GMO producers such as Monsanto
- not organic and conventional farmers or the European taxpayers -
that should bear the economic burden of genetic pollution and
measures required to prevent it."
For four years now, the EU member states have blocked the
approval of all new GMOs until a complete and coherent legislation
is in place. Whilst rules on labelling and traceability are
expected to be in place by the end of this year - enabling
consumers and farmers to identify GMOs in food and animal feed -
the European Commission still refuses to introduce rules ensuring
strict liability for costs associated with genetic contamination.
The rules are needed to try to prevent genetic contamination in
case GM crops are grown in Europe and to ensure that non-GMO
farmers will not bear the costs of avoiding contamination, which is
virtually unavoidable if GMOs are grown outdoors.
"We urge the EU governments to adequately address the regulatory
loopholes that would allow companies like Monsanto to contaminate
European agriculture and stand firm against the pressure of the USA
and the GE industry. The survival of uncontaminated conventional
and organic farming in Europe is at stake," said Gall.
Documents:
3rd March press
release by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the European
Environmental Bureau for a
critique of the European Commission's co-existence
proposal.
VVPR info: Photos of the action available from Greenpeace International Photo Desk, John Novis, Mob: +31653819121
Notes: 1) Monsanto 2002 annual report, p. 31: "We also continue to address concerns about the adventitious or unintended trace presence of biotechnology materials in seeds, grain and Food [=genetic contamination]. We expect these types of issues to continue. We are addressing the issue of adventitious presence...... by continuing globally to seek regulations that recognise and accept the adventitious presence of commercial biotechnology traits and provide for approval and acceptance of trace amounts of pre-commercial traits." 2) See 3rd March press release by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the European Environmental Bureau for critique of the European Commission's co-existence proposal.