Press release - 24 November, 2008
In an a-maize-ing feat at the heart of the EU quarter in Brussels this morning, Greenpeace activists climbed a building on Schuman square to display a giant banner of a 'scary' genetically modified (GM) corn plant bearing the slogan Stop GMOs'. The action coincides with the last in a string of meetings of national experts who are looking into reforming the EU's authorisation process for GM products and precedes a meeting of European environment ministers who will assess their findings next week.
Greenpeace activists warned decision-makers about the health and
environmental risks linked to genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
by symbolically contaminating the Schuman area with dozens of
'scary' maize plants.
"EU decision-makers are ignoring the serious and unpredictable
risks to human health and the environment posed by GM crops.
Greenpeace urges environment ministers to reform the EU's flawed
GMO authorisation system and calls on Barroso and the Commission to
stop blocking this process," said Marco Contiero, Greenpeace EU GMO
policy director.
A recent study carried out under the auspices of the Austrian
government has highlighted some of the serious health threats posed
by GMOs. The fertility of mice fed with an authorised Monsanto GM
maize variety (NK603xMON810) was severely impaired compared to that
of mice fed on non-GM crops.[1] This crop was authorised based on a
positive assessment by the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA).
"The current risk assessment process contravenes EU law as it's
unable to assess long-term impacts of GM crops on the environment,
biodiversity and human and animal health," said Contiero. "EFSA and
the Commission continue to rubber-stamp anything the agro-biotech
industry puts under their nose. This situation is a downright
scandal and EU environment ministers must put an end to it."
Greenpeace calls on EU environment ministers meeting on 4
December to:
- Strengthen the GMO risk assessment process and reform
EFSA
- Suspend all GM crop authorisations until the EU risk
assessment system is thoroughly improved and EFSA is equipped to
assess the long-term environmental impact of GMOs and their
detrimental socio-economic effects
- Prevent GMO contamination of seeds
- Protect the right of member states to establish GM-free
areas
- Recall from the European market the GM maize varieties at
the centre of the Austrian study
VVPR info: Marco Contiero – Greenpeace EU GMO policy director: +32 (0)2 274 1906, +32 (0)477 777 034 (mobile), 
ark Breddy – Greenpeace EU communications manager: +32 (0)2 274 1903, +32 (0)496 156 229 (mobile), 
hotos – Greenpeace International picture desk: + 44 (0)207 865 8230, 
Notes: [1] You can see the Austrian study on http://www.bmgfj.gv.at/cms/site/attachments/3/2/9/CH0810/CMS1226492832306/forschungsbericht_3-2008_letztfassung.pdf[2] A media briefing explaining the GMO authorisation debate is available at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/media-briefing-gmo-debate