GMO crops could be let in through the back door - Greenpeace

EU vote on commercial cultivation of controversial genetically engineered potato 'could let GMO crops in though the back door’, warns Greenpeace, in advance of a crucial meeting of agriculture ministers on Monday July 16.

The EU Agriculture ministers will vote on a proposal by the European Commission to allow the large scale cultivation of a controversial genetically engineered potato which includes genes for resistance to antibiotics, to be used for starch production and as animal feed.

If approved, this would be the first time since 1998 that a genetically engineered plant is authorised for growing in the EU.

Greenpeace called on ministers to reject the potato developed by German chemical company BASF, claiming that it poses significant risks to health and the environment. The genetically engineered potato contains a gene which conveys resistance to antibiotics. Under EU law, genes of this kind which may have adverse effects on human health and the environment should have been phased out by the end of 2004. Despite this, the European Food Safety Authority gave a positive opinion on the BASF potato, stating that its antibiotic resistance genes do not pose a "relevant" risk to human health or the environment. The EFSA does not rule out, however, that the cultivation of the potato could lead to antibiotic resistance effects.
Given that, and considering the industrial scale cultivation for which the potato is designed, Greenpeace considers the approach by the EFSA dangerous:

"Increasing antibiotic resistance in human and animals is a widely recognised medical problem. Any unnecessary use of antibiotic resistance genes in plants is therefore irresponsible because it poses a direct threat to human and animal health" said Marco Contiero policy adviser on GMOs at Greenpeace European Unit.

Greenpeace also warns that the BASF potato did not undergo full risk assessment as required under EU law:

"The European Commission is asking Member States to approve the BASF potato, even though basic information on its health and environmental impacts is missing. The European Food Safety Authority did not investigate the effects of the BASF potato on biodiversity and the ecological implications of its cultivation. BASF did not supply the EFSA with data on the impact of its genetically engineered potato on the environment. Instead, it limited its analysis to the effects of surrounding wildlife on its potato. This makes a mockery of EU law, which requires that all applications for genetically engineered plants must include a full environmental impact assessment" Mr Contiero explained.

"Even though the EFSA acknowledges that the data provided by BASF show many irregularities that could have serious implications for health and environment, it has simply accepted the BASF request without further, independent scientific investigation. This potato is likely to contaminate the food chain and the environment. If approved, the potato can be legally planted anywhere in the EU, even though most member states still have no measures in place to protect conventional and organic agriculture from contamination by genetically engineered plants." Mr Contiero concluded.

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.