MEP Christophe Clergeau slams Council of the EU and EU Commission for imposing new GMOs

According to Christophe Clergeau, vice-chair of the S&D Group in the European Parliament and its shadow rapporteur on the new GMO deregulation file, "The Council and the Commission are set to work hand in hand to impose the commercialisation of new GMOs (NGT) without precaution or protection of the interests of consumers or farmers. The Parliament must stand united to defend its positions and rely on the mobilisation of the agricultural world and civil society. It is time for a general mobilisation before the start of the trilogues" between the Council of the EU, the Parliament, and the Commission.

The Council of the European Union adopted its position on new GMOs on 7 March, one year after the European Parliament. "The Council has not been up to the task. It has wasted a year without ultimately proposing a new approach or taking into account the votes of the Parliament," said Clergeau.

"The Council's position is similar in many respects to the Commission's initial text: it puts consumers at risk in the absence of a comprehensive supply chain traceability system and clear information on the final product derived from the new GMOs. A simple label on a bag of seeds, without information for the end consumer, would be unacceptable," explained Clergeau.

"This position jeopardises the autonomy and income of farmers. Patents on modified genetic traits are real patents on varieties. Farmers will have to buy their seeds at a higher price, they will be dependent on a few large international groups that will impose their law and eliminate European SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] from the seed sector. European farmers will find themselves cornered in court, accused of using NGT seeds without being able to defend themselves because the NGT origin of these seeds will be undetectable and they will be considered equivalent to conventional seeds. The trap is closing in on European agriculture, in total contradiction with the expectations of the agricultural world," added Clergeau.

Clergeau said this position prevents Member States from making their own choices to protect their farmers and seed producers, since they will not be able to prohibit the marketing of NGTs on their territory.

Clergeau added: "I call on the European Parliament rapporteur to defend the position of the European Parliament, which considerably strengthened and developed the Commission's proposal by adopting:
* For consumers: traceability throughout the food chain and labelling, allowing free choice of foods
* For nature: environmental monitoring, the possibility of withdrawal [of a new GMO] in the event of a health or environmental problem."

Clergeau also called for traceability for producers, which allows for the effective protection of organic and GMO-free sectors, including quality marks and geographic origin indications.

In addition, Clergeau wants to see the non-patentability of new GMOs so that farmers "are not held hostage by industries".

Clergeau concluded, "I support innovation and am open to this technology, but it has to prove itself. It cannot be cultivated or put on the market without precautions and guarantees to protect the freedom of choice of consumers and farmers alike. Parliament represents the citizens of Europe, and it must be heard by the Commission and the Council."

Source: Christophe Clergeau