European Commission to support failing failing biotech crop sector

The European Commission intends to promote genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe, even though it admits that that the European public does not want to eat GM foods, warned Friends of the Earth Europe today. The European Commission's mid-term review of the EU's Biotech Strategy today called for increased financial and political support for biotechnology applications - including GM crops - while acknowledging the poor performance of the GM crop sector and its widespread public opposition.

The European Commission intends to promote genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe, even though it admits that that the European public does not want to eat GM foods, warned Friends of the Earth Europe today. The European Commission's mid-term review of the EU's Biotech Strategy today called for increased financial and political support for biotechnology applications - including GM crops - while acknowledging the poor performance of the GM crop sector and its widespread public opposition.

Helen Holder, GMO Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe said, "The European Commission's own research shows that the use of GM crops is an economic failure. But instead of scrapping its support, the Commission is instead ignoring the wishes of the majority of the European public and asking for looser regulation and more taxpayers' money for genetically modified crops."

Research published last month by Friends of the Earth Europe shows that environmentally-friendly farming will create more jobs and make the EU more competitive than if it grows genetically modified (GM) crops.

"Growing genetically modified crops has not lived up to expectations on increasing competitiveness and employment. In contrast, the green farming sector - including organic production - provides an environmentally friendly source of food while stimulating the economy and creating jobs, but is unfortunately starved of political and financial support by European Union decisionmakers," Ms Holder added.

Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and just societies and for the protection of the environment, unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.