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Commission proposal on GMOs to give full responsibility to Members States

EU member states will have more freedom to choose whether to ban or grow GMOs on their territory under new proposals unveiled by the European Commission on 13 july 2010.

The Commission hereby hopes to put the GMO dispute to an end, but the new proposals already draw widespread criticism from both sides of the GM debate. The new measures are seen as a “re-nationalisation” of the GM policy. If the agricultural policy is common, why wouldn’t the policy of cultivation of GMOs be?

Commissioner for health and consumer policy John Dalli denied claims that his policy amount to nationalisation and does not set a precedent as GMs are an exceptional issue. The co-existence measures allow member states to establish "GMO-free" areas and to adopt stricter isolation measures to avoid an unintended presence of GMOs in other products.  

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At present six countries (Austria, Hungary, France, Germany, Greece and Luxembourg) have adopted GMOs bans on their territories for “safeguard” reasons.

Commission press release: GMOs: Member States to be given full responsibility on cultivation in their territories (13 July 2010)

Press Article: EurActiv : http://www.euractiv.com/en/cap/EU-GMO-proposals-draw-widespread-criticism-news-496263?utm_source=EurActiv+Newsletter&utm_campaign=6505321ce4-my_google_analytics_key&utm_medium=email