By Ruth Marsden - 5th July 2011
I am pleased the parliament has reached an agreement on the difficult issue of GMOs, which has been an issue of public concern for years
Corinne Lepage
MEPs have voted to give member states more flexibility to ban or restrict genetically modified (GM) crops being grown in their territories.
Defending its decision to include environmental grounds in banning the cultivation of GM crops, the European parliament said that all impacts of growing GM crops must be taken into account in decision making.
The draft amendment was voted through in the Strasbourg plenary on Tuesday and must now be approved by member states in the European council.
Friends of the Earth Europe food campaigner Mute Schimpf said that discussions had so far been "deadlocked" at council level.
Schimpf said, "This is a clear signal from MEPs that they are on the side of the majority of European citizens who oppose GM crops - it is now up to the European commission and governments to make sure safeguards against GM crops are upheld."
The draft amendment to existing legislation, if voted through by the council, will mean member states will be able to use additional "environmental grounds", including scientific reasons for banning GM crops at national level.
Previously, the commission had ruled to allow the ban of crops in EU countries on all but health and environmental grounds, which then had to be assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Expressing frustration over the vote, an industry source told TheParliament.com, "The amendment undermines EFSA's role in the EU scientific assessment process and further politicises the EU process.
"The new proposal appears to have no consideration for those countries that might want to grow GM crops."
According to biotechnology industry group Europabio, member states should be free to choose to cultivate GM crops at their own pace.
Carel du Marchie Sarvaas, Europabio's director of green biotechnology Europe, said it was "disappointing" to see how political voting is turning Europe into "a science museum rather than an economic motor driven by innovation".
"Many decision makers continue to deny farmers the ability to se cutting edge technologies, already available to their counterparts outside the EU, to help them deal with these same challenges," he said.
Parliament's rapporteur on the draft amendment Corinne Lepage said, "I am pleased the parliament has reached an agreement on the difficult issue of GMOs, which has been an issue of public concern for years.
"If the council manages to find a common position, this balanced agreement will allow countries and regions the right to not grow GMOs if they so choose."
Greenpeace EU agriculture policy advisor Stefanie Hundsdorfer, also welcomed the vote, saying parliament had added "real punch" to draft laws to protect our farms and food.
However, Hundsdorfer warned that national bans are no substitute for thorough safety testing at European level.
"We and a growing majority of the public remain seriously concerned about unanswered health and environmental questions around GM crops.
"Ecological farming is the correct response to the challenges of food security, climate change and long term productivity," she said.
