1.Polish minister calls for Europe-wide ban on GM crops
2.Polish President vetoes seeds act
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1.Polish minister calls for Europe-wide ban on GM crops
The News, 26 August 2011
http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/53998,Polish-minister-calls-for-Europewide-ban-on-GM-crops
*Poland's stance on genetically modified crops has been thrown into confusion after its agriculture minister called for a European-wide ban on GMO.
"We are now proposing to completely prohibit not only the cultivation of GM plants, but also imports of feed and food that is genetically modified," Minister Marek Sawicki told TVP public television.
"And not just in Poland," he added.
Sawicki's remarks come just days after he criticized President Bronislaw Komorowski for vetoing a government bill on the registration of GM seeds, which was intended to bring Polish law in line with EU dictates.
The previous Law and Justice government passed a law in 2006 unilaterally banning the growing of GM foods and exports of seeds. The European Commission consequently referred Poland to the European Court of Justice for passing a law at odds with Brussels directives.
President Komorowski, though not against GM on principle, said this week that the 'seed bill' did not in fact sufficiently clarify the issue and declared the law "legal junk" and sent it back to parliament.
Now Minister Sawicki says that the EU should ban GM across the 27-nation bloc.
"Here indeed is a task for the Minister of the Environment, to introduce such an initiative under the umbrella of the Polish Presidency [of the EU Council], and we will support him."
Opinion polls have shown the general public suspicious of the technology.
Opponents of GM claim that the technology could be harmful to the environment and human health, though studies have consistently failed to find such a link.
Proponents of GM say that it could greatly increase yields at a time of rising food prices and would abolish the need to use harmful fertilizers against pests.
Currently a type of maize called MON 810 is the only GM food cultivated commercially in the EU.
A GM type of potato harvested for industrial starch, called Amflora, is also allowed.
Last summer, however, the European Commission proposed that each of the 27 nations in the EU should be allowed more flexibility in drawing up GM legislation.
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2.Polish President vetoes seeds act
ICPPC – International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside, 24 August 2011
Dear Friends,
We bring excellent news from Poland!
The 'Seeds Act' which would have introduced GM seeds into Polish agriculture – has been rejected by the Polish President.
President Komorowski stated that the Act was too poorly writtten and "was not stopping GMO".
The president, senators and parliamentarians have all been bombarded with letters, phone calls and visits over three months of intensive campaigning to put a halt to the deadly "Seeds Act". There have also been several vociferous demonstrations and education actions outside the Polish parliament, the President's palace, as well as all over Poland. These have been attended by many younger people who have helped lead and organise anti GMO support.
An independent website -Alert Box- set up by anti GMO activists cooperating with us has received 25,000 signatures demanding the Act be thrown. Five hundred organisations expressed their wish to stop the Act and more than 200 letters directed to parliamentarians and the president came from abroad.
Well done good people!
Unfortunately President Komorowski said that he had "found no proof that GMO poses a threat to human health." He failed to respond to any of the documentation supplied to him categorizing the health dangers.
Poland faces general elections this October and it is clear that the present government was worried that passing the pro GMO Act might cause controversy amongst the electorate. It remains to be seen what will happen if the present government is reelected..
All this goes to show what some serious determination backed by a small band of active supporters can achieve! The battle for a complete GMO ban will continue... all help welcome!
If you can donate to our campaign please see http://icppc.pl/pl/gmo/eng_index.php?id=eng_donate
All best wishes,
Julian and Jadwiga
ICPPC – International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside,
34-146 Stryszów 156, Poland tel./fax +48 33 8797114 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.icppc.pl www.gmo.icppc.pl www.eko-cel.pl