Brazil: Commercialization of Monsanto's "Roundup-Ready Soybeans Stopped
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Greenpeace welcomed the Brazilian judicial decision of requesting
fully environmental impact assessmont for the release of GMOs
(Sao Paulo, June 22, 1999) - The 6th Federal Court, in Brasilia,
has decided yesterday to require a full environmental impact
assessment prior the plant and commercialisation of the
"Roundup Ready" transgenic soya by Monsanto, accepting a
demand presented by Greenpeace and a consumer right's
defence NGO. The decision will practically impede the expected
release of the transgenic crops in the environment for the next
growing season, which begins in September/October.
According to the judicial decision, Monsanto is prohibited to
commercialise the GE seeds until the government has regulated
and
defined the rules of biosafety and labelling of GMOs. It is also
suspended the plant, in commercial scale, of the referred product
until
"being clarified the technical doubts presented by respected
researchers
regarding possible faults of the CTN-Bio (National Technical
Commission on
Biosafety) in reference to the request for a deregulamentation
study for
the RR soya."
The Ministers of Agriculture, Science and Technology,
Environment and Health were specially summoned to do not
give any new authorisation for commercialisation of GE crops to
Monsanto before being accomplished the judicial
determinations. The judge has also suspended the authorisations
which have been given until now;
"We believe this decision is a huge victory for those who are
concerned with the impacts of trangenicos in the environment
and public health", says Karen Suassuana, from Greenpeace
Brazil. "This fact opens now a world-wide precedent for the
necessity of an environmental impact assessment of the GE
crops".
Monsanto will have the right to ask for the court to review its
decision, by presenting new arguments. "I think it is almost
impossible the judge change his mind. His position is clear in the
statement", says Ms. Suassuna "Monsanto certainly will not time
to change the decision in order to plant its RR soya for the new
growing season".
Karen Suassuna
Greenpeace Brasil