NOTE from GM-free Ireland: This Le Monde interview with the European Commissioner for the Environment, Jazez Potocnik, shows the European Commission's blatant refusal to comply with the Member States' unanimous demand for EFSA to stop providing opinions for new GMOs without due transparency and scientific peer review. This is food fascism in action.

The Commissioner says "we should base the authorisation of GMO cultivation on the scientific assessments provided by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), to guarantee that these organisms have no influence on health and the environment... From a scientific point of view, no European country will be exposed to the slightest risk... We have no reason not to trust the institution."
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EUROPE WON'T BE A PLAYGROUND FOR GMOS
Gregoire Allix.
Le Monde, 30 June 2010
http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2010/06/30/janez-potocnik-l-europe-ne-sera-pas-un-terrain-de-jeu-pour-les-ogm_1380984_3244.html

[Excerpt of interview of the European Commissioner for the Environment, Jazez Potocnik, translated by GM-free Ireland]

Le Monde: You seem to be more in favour of GM crops than your predecessor, Stavros Dimas...

Potocnik: From now on, the GMO issue is in the hands of the Health Commissioner, John Dalli. His proposal is that we should base the authorisation of GMO cultivation on the scientific assessments provided by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), to guarantee that these organisms have no influence on health and the environment. Europe will not be an open playing field for GMOs.

From a scientific point of view, no European country will be exposed to the slightest risk. That said, we understand that there are socio-economic considerations and emotional reactions specific to certain Member States. That’s why we propose that they should be able to decide not to authorise the cultivation of GMOs on their territory, despite the Commission’s advice.

Le Monde: France, amongst other countries, is demanding a prior reform of EFSA. What do you think of this?

Potocnik: We have no reason not to trust the institution, which all of us together in Europe have empowered with this mission. Of course, as a former Science and Research Commissioner, I can only be in favour of strenghthening EFSA's research capacities.

Le Monde: Europe did not succeed in curbing the loss of biodiversity in 2010. What needs to be changed?

Potocnik: In March, the European council adopted new goals for 2010, and this year we will finalise a detailed strategy to avoid a new failure in ten years’ time.  One of the important concerns is to take biodiversity into account in the agricultural policy. Half of Europe is in the hands of farmers. We must awaken their concern for biodiversity, even if this means paying them for this public service work.