SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Did EU Ministers OK 'Poisoned Chalice' That Will Open Floodgates to GMO Crops?
Decision by EU environment ministers could make it harder for states for avoid biotech-bullying, critics warn.
Jun 12, 2014
In a decision denounced by green groups, European Union environment ministers on Thursday approved a proposal to give individual member states the authority to ban genetically modified crops that have received EU Commission approval.
But, as Bloomberg noted, "The draft law aims to accelerate endorsements at EU level of requests to plant gene-altered seeds made by companies such as Monsanto."
Friends of the Earth Europe criticized the vote as "a poisoned chalice which could open Europe's fields to more biotech crop."
"It is unacceptable that companies like Monsanto will be given the first say in any decision to ban their products," stated Mute Schimpf, food campaigner for the organization. "Governments must be able to ban unwanted and risky GM crops without needing the permission of the companies who profit from them."
Also criticizing the approval were the Greens in the European Parliament, who called the ruling a compromise that is "a Trojan horse."
Like Friends of the Earth's position, Green food safety spokesperson Bart Staes said the decision "risks finally opening the door to genetically-modified organisms across Europe, in spite of mass public opposition."
In addition to concerns over possible cross-contamination of crops, Staes added, "There are clear concerns that the opt-outs would not be legally sound and would be subject to legal challenges, leaving member states or regions isolated to defend their stance."
Both groups see the possibility of the new rule putting more power into the hands of corporations who make genetically modified seed.
Shimpf called it "unacceptable that companies like Monsanto will be given the first say in any decision to ban their products."
"Any new approval procedure should not be a tool for the Commission and biotech-corporations to bully EU member states into accepting authoriaations for GM crops for which legitimate concerns clearly exist," Staes stated. "The EU should instead respect the precautionary principle and take account of the consistent and legitimate opposition to this controversial technology."
"At a time when American consumers and farmers are waking up to the negative consequences of biotech firms like Monsanto, Europe should not abandon the more sensible approach it has championed for decades," Staes added.
The proposal now heads to the European Parliament.
____________________________
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In a decision denounced by green groups, European Union environment ministers on Thursday approved a proposal to give individual member states the authority to ban genetically modified crops that have received EU Commission approval.
But, as Bloomberg noted, "The draft law aims to accelerate endorsements at EU level of requests to plant gene-altered seeds made by companies such as Monsanto."
Friends of the Earth Europe criticized the vote as "a poisoned chalice which could open Europe's fields to more biotech crop."
"It is unacceptable that companies like Monsanto will be given the first say in any decision to ban their products," stated Mute Schimpf, food campaigner for the organization. "Governments must be able to ban unwanted and risky GM crops without needing the permission of the companies who profit from them."
Also criticizing the approval were the Greens in the European Parliament, who called the ruling a compromise that is "a Trojan horse."
Like Friends of the Earth's position, Green food safety spokesperson Bart Staes said the decision "risks finally opening the door to genetically-modified organisms across Europe, in spite of mass public opposition."
In addition to concerns over possible cross-contamination of crops, Staes added, "There are clear concerns that the opt-outs would not be legally sound and would be subject to legal challenges, leaving member states or regions isolated to defend their stance."
Both groups see the possibility of the new rule putting more power into the hands of corporations who make genetically modified seed.
Shimpf called it "unacceptable that companies like Monsanto will be given the first say in any decision to ban their products."
"Any new approval procedure should not be a tool for the Commission and biotech-corporations to bully EU member states into accepting authoriaations for GM crops for which legitimate concerns clearly exist," Staes stated. "The EU should instead respect the precautionary principle and take account of the consistent and legitimate opposition to this controversial technology."
"At a time when American consumers and farmers are waking up to the negative consequences of biotech firms like Monsanto, Europe should not abandon the more sensible approach it has championed for decades," Staes added.
The proposal now heads to the European Parliament.
____________________________
In a decision denounced by green groups, European Union environment ministers on Thursday approved a proposal to give individual member states the authority to ban genetically modified crops that have received EU Commission approval.
But, as Bloomberg noted, "The draft law aims to accelerate endorsements at EU level of requests to plant gene-altered seeds made by companies such as Monsanto."
Friends of the Earth Europe criticized the vote as "a poisoned chalice which could open Europe's fields to more biotech crop."
"It is unacceptable that companies like Monsanto will be given the first say in any decision to ban their products," stated Mute Schimpf, food campaigner for the organization. "Governments must be able to ban unwanted and risky GM crops without needing the permission of the companies who profit from them."
Also criticizing the approval were the Greens in the European Parliament, who called the ruling a compromise that is "a Trojan horse."
Like Friends of the Earth's position, Green food safety spokesperson Bart Staes said the decision "risks finally opening the door to genetically-modified organisms across Europe, in spite of mass public opposition."
In addition to concerns over possible cross-contamination of crops, Staes added, "There are clear concerns that the opt-outs would not be legally sound and would be subject to legal challenges, leaving member states or regions isolated to defend their stance."
Both groups see the possibility of the new rule putting more power into the hands of corporations who make genetically modified seed.
Shimpf called it "unacceptable that companies like Monsanto will be given the first say in any decision to ban their products."
"Any new approval procedure should not be a tool for the Commission and biotech-corporations to bully EU member states into accepting authoriaations for GM crops for which legitimate concerns clearly exist," Staes stated. "The EU should instead respect the precautionary principle and take account of the consistent and legitimate opposition to this controversial technology."
"At a time when American consumers and farmers are waking up to the negative consequences of biotech firms like Monsanto, Europe should not abandon the more sensible approach it has championed for decades," Staes added.
The proposal now heads to the European Parliament.
____________________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy