Attempts to radically revise EU regulations on genetically modified (GM) foods in response to consumer concerns are in danger of being undermined by the strong lobbying of the biotechnology industry, according to Green members of the European Parliament.
The Bowe report, which will have a major impact on amendments to the EU directive known as 90/220 on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), came before the parliament in Strasbourg yesterday. Its final version will be voted on today.
Speaking during a debate, Ms Patricia McKenna criticised the parliament for bowing to the interests of industry by "trying to weaken safety standards on GMOs below those proposed by the European Commission and Council of Ministers".
She said this weakening of the initial report made by a British MEP, Mr David Bowe (Labour), of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection Committee, was graphically illustrated in the parliament's attitude to "time-limited authorisations" of GM crops.
The commission envisaged a review of a product's authorisation every seven years, yet there was a move by some MEPs to extend it to 12 years "with a vague obligation to review the approval if anything untoward is revealed by industry's own monitoring process".
The French Socialist grouping has taken a strong line favouring provisions which would not hinder Europe's biotechnology industry. This is expected to prove to be pivotal in undermining many of the "tightening-up regulations" envisaged by Mr Bowe.
Ms McKenna said time-limited authorisations were vital safety standards which already existed in the US. They were effectively applied to pesticides. "It would be amazing if similar regulations did not apply to GMOs."
However, there was an indication that the key issue of biotech companies being held liable for any resulting damage to the environment, or to public health from their products, would be retained. This included full civil and criminal liability.
Yet attempts by the Greens to outlaw the use of what they considered to be "more harmful GMOs" - those which use antibiotic resistance markers or may cross with wild species - looked set to fail as the environment committee has already rejected such measures.
Ms Nuala Ahern MEP, also of the Greens, said all Irish MEPs had to vote to strengthen the directive if they wished to safeguard the Irish environment and health of their constituents.
"They must resist the intimidating lobbying tactics of gene industry. These companies are panicking because their foisting of [genetically] tampered food on the public has been exposed."
She said proposals to introduce "fast-track approvals" for GMO releases into the environment should be resisted as they would allow the gene industry to be unaccountable and uncontrollable.
Speaking in the debate, Mr Liam Hyland MEP (FF) said genetically modified foods and ingredients should not be allowed into the food chain without the most stringent tests "and only then with detailed consumer information".
However, he added, "selective use of genetic research would assist in developing my country's green image and lead to a reduction in the use of fertilisers and pesticides."
