Brussels (Belgium),  2 February 2004: Two leading environmental groups today welcomed the decision of the Belgian Government to reject an application to grow genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape. The rejection of the European Union (EU)-wide application from Bayer CropScience was announced today and follows research showing that the GM oilseed rape would damage the environment.

Belgian experts concluded that growing this GM oilseed rape would have negative impacts on biodiversity that could not be brought under control. They also believe that guidelines for farmers to prevent contamination of non-GM crops are unworkable and difficult to monitor.

The expert advice followed the largest GM field scale trials to date in the UK, which concluded that growing GM oilseed rape would be worse for wildlife than growing the conventional crop (1). Other UK studies have also shown that insects can carry the pollen of oilseed rape over many kilometres (2).

Such research underlines how immensely difficult, if not impossible, it would be to contain the cultivation of GM oilseed rape and protect non-genetically engineered farming.

German-based Bayer CropScience had applied through Belgium for a Europe-wide licence to grow the GM oilseed rape. The Belgian Government could only have forwarded it to other member states for a joint decision if it had met European laws to protect the environment. Two other applications for a similar crop, also by Bayer, are being processed by Germany.

Karen Simal, GM campaigner for Greenpeace Belgium said:  "This is a slap in the face of the biotech industry and a victory for the environment. The Belgian Government has eventually acknowledged that growing GM oilseed rape is harmful to the environment. GM crops like this should never be grown."

While welcoming the Belgian government's refusal to allow cultivation, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth deplore the fact that, at the same time, the Belgian Government approved the crop for import and processing in Europe. The import part of the application will now be forwarded to other EU member states.

Adrian Bebb, GM campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe said: "GM oilseed rape will harm the environment and contaminate non-GM agriculture, whether it is grown in the EU or elsewhere in the world. It is inconsistent to ban the cultivation yet allow it for import. Protecting the environment by rejecting GM crops should be the first responsibility of every Government."

Karen Simal continued: "Consumers are to some extent protected from GMOs as many food manufacturers refuse to allow GMOs in their products, but allowing such ingredients on the market places an extra burden on them. Although most consumers have made it clear they don't want GMOs in their food, they will need to keep on actively rejecting such products."

Notes to Editors

A briefing on the oilseed rape and a letter sent to the Belgium Public Health and Environment Ministers are available from Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth and  can be found at  www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/Index.htm and at www.greenpeace.be

(1)   The largest trials to date on the oilseed were recently conducted in the UK and concluded that growing GM oilseed rape would be worse for the environment. Independent scientists found that bees and butterflies were less abundant in the GM crops than in non-GM crops due to a lack of weeds and wild plants. There were also substantially less weed seeds present in the GM crops. Weed seeds are  an important source of food for small mammals and birds, particularly during winter. http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/fse/index.htm

(2)   Ramsay, G., Thompson, C & Squire, G (2003). Quantifying landscape-scale gene flow in oilseed rape. Final Report of DEFRA Project RG0216: An experimental and mathematical study of the local and regional scale movement of an oilseed rape transgene. Available at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research/pdf/epg_rg0216..pdf

CONTACTS

Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Earth Europe  - mobile ++49 1609 490 1163 Karen Simal, Greenpeace Belgium - mobile ++32 (0)496 12 21 00 Eric Gall, GM policy advisor, Greenpeace European Unit, +32 (0) 496 16 15 82