Greece Bans Import and Sale of Genetically-Manipulated Oilseed Rape (Canola)
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Oct. 2 /98
From a press release
Brussels -- Greenpeace welcomed a decision by Greece to ban the import and
marketing of AgrEvo's genetically engineered oilseed rape.
According to the press statement issued by deputy minister of environment
Theodoros Koliopanos the ban was decided because the product could present
dangers for the public health and the environment. Greece became the third
country to use powers given in the relevant EU directive (90/220/EEC) to
object to EU-wide market authorisations of a genetically engineered crop.
Austria and Luxembourg have similar bans on Novartis' genetically
engineered maize.
"More and more governments are agreeing with environmental groups like
Greenpeace, that these transgenic crops pose a risk to public health and
the environment. They would never have been approved if the 'precautionary
principle' would have be enforced," said Nikos Charalambides of
Greenpeace Greece.
The Greek ban is the second European blow to the GE industry in less than
a week. Last week the French Court dEtat decided in a landmark ruling to
suspend the growing authorisation of Novartis' genetically engineered
maize in France.
"The European Commission is coming under mounting pressure from all
sides," said Thomas Schweiger, Greenpeace's EU advisor in Brussels. "It is
clear that Member States take a much more precautionary approach to these
crops than the Commission. The heat is on for the Commission to urgently
re-think its misguided support for every single application for market
release."
For more information:
http://www.greenpeace.org.