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News Messages |
| 27 November 2005 | | Switzerland: Solid Majority Behind GM-Free Initiative | | With unexpected solidarity, Swiss citizens approved a five year ban on the commercial use of genetically modified plants and animals. Supporters of the initiative had the upper hand in all 26 of Switzerland’s cantons, with a 55.7 percent majority nationwide. The greatest support was in canton Jura (75.9%), while the cities of Aargau, Zurich, and Bern contributed the least support. Voter turnout came up to 41.8 percent. A broad coalition of environmental, consumer, and agricultural groups proposed the ban, which forbids the cultivation of GM plants or the importation of GM seed or animals. The Swiss government spoke out against the moratorium, citing the adequacy of existing laws. In the debate leading up to the vote, many scientists voiced the concern that the initiative would jeopardize Switzerland’s international research status and drive researchers to set up labs elsewhere.
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| 24 November 2005 | | Coexistence: European Commission Approves Compensation Fund for Denmark | Conventional and organic farmers in Denmark can now expect to receive financial compensation if unintended mixing with GM crops on neighbouring farms should translate into losses. The European Commission has approved a compensation fund, which will be supported by mandatory contributions from farmers that choose to produce GM crops. Farmers will pay 13.40€ per hectare of GM crops. Conventional and organic farmers are only entitled to compensation when the GM content of their goods surpasses the 0.9 percent threshold that marks the requirement for labelling. Compensation will make up for the potentially lower market value for goods that require labelling. The Danish government is administering the fund and will still enforce liability and penal accountability.
Upon providing compensation, Danish authorities will investigate individual cases. If a guilty party is identified, authorities will demand that the payment be replaced. The fund has been established with the intention of eventually replacing it with private liability insurance. An insurance based system is also being considered by the German government. Authorities have not yet determined which parties would contribute to such a fund in Germany.
It is up to each member state to decide how to govern the coexistence of GM and conventional agricultural methods. All mandatory measures for governing coexistence must receive approval from the European Commission.
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| 03 November 2005 | | European Commission Gives Approval to 1507 Maize for Feed | The European Commission has given the green light to another GMO. This time, GM maize 1507 was given approval for importation and for use as animal feed. The application for approval was submitted to the Netherlands in 2000 by Pioneer and Mycogen Seeds. 1507 maize is resistant to insect pests and to the herbicide glufosinate. Further applications regarding the food use and the cultivation of 1507 maize are still pending.
The European Food Safety Administration and Dutch authorities have determined that 1507 maize is safe for animal feed. According to the EU law on genetic engineering, the European Commission is required to come to a decision based on scientific assessments. Nonetheless, the Commission’s decision to approve 1507 maize was not met with a qualified majority neither in the Council of Ministers nor in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. According to the Treaty on European Union, such a situation requires that the Commission’s recommendation take precedence. The approval will come into effect when 1507 maize is approved for food use, which is expected to take place in early 2006. |
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