Raül Romeva i Rueda

Tal i com vàrem informar ahir a través d’un comunicat de premsa, la decisió dels Ministres de Medi Ambient de rebutjar la proposta de la Comissió segons la qual aquesta pretenia forçar l’aixecament de la prohibició de cultivar varietats transgèniques de blat establertes a Hongria i Àustria, suposa una clara derrota de l’estratègia pro-OGM de Barroso. Segons la decisió adoptada ahir, Hongria pot mantenir la seva prohibició a cultivar blat de Monsanto MON810, i Àustria la seva relativa a la varietat T25 de la Bayer. Vint-i-dos delegacions van votar en contra de la proposta de la Comissió, entre elles la del Govern espanyol, canviant així la seva postura inicial, que era favorable (en vaig parlar a l’apunt Blat MON 810: el Consell no concreta, de moment, i sucumbeix a la pressió pro-OGM de la Comissió). Els països que es van aliar finalment amb la Comissió van ser Finlàndia, Suècia, Països Baixos i Regne Unit.  (segueix…)

PRESS RELEASE – Brussels, 2 March 2009

Genetically Modified crops

Defeat for Barroso as environment ministers uphold national bans on GM crops

EU environment ministers today have overwhelmingly rejected a European Commission proposal to force Austriaand Hungaryto
lift their bans on the cultivation of varieties of genetically modified
(GM) maize. Twenty-two member states voted against the Commission
proposal. Hungarycan maintain its ban on Monsanto’s GM maize MON810, and Austriaits bans on MON810 and Bayer’s T25. Commenting on the decision, the ICV MEP, Raül Romeva joined the Greens/EFA Co-Presidents,Monica Frassoniand Daniel Cohn-Bendit, in saying:

“The
decision by the EU environment ministers is good news for the
environment, farmers and consumers. It is also a shot in the arm for
the many regions in the EU that want to become GM free.

“We
applaud environment ministers for giving the thumbs down to this
proposal from the Barroso Commission. This is the fourth time EU
governments have rejected a Commission proposal to force member states
to act against the will of their citizens and to allow the cultivation
of GM crops. Between 62% and 77%of the population in the member states
concerned oppose GM crops (1). It is deeply disturbing that the
Commission continues to try and bulldoze through its pro-GM agenda in
spite of public opposition.

“The
overwhelming majority with which Council took the decision is a clear
signal that a growing number of member states are losing confidence in
the judgment of the European Commission on GMO issues. This is a slap
in the face to Commission President Barroso, who has become a stooge of
the agro-tech industry and overruled the position of EU environment
commissioner Stavros Dimas.

“With
more votes to come in Council – on the bans on GM crops in France and
Greece – we hope EU environment minister will again step up to the
plate. However, this also underlines the need to define a clear
European policy on GMOs. This must start with an overhaul of the risk
assessment procedure for GM crops, as requested unanimously by all 27
member states in December 2008.

Foto: Varietat de blat MON810: Font: AFP