Udvalget for Fødevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri 2009-10
FLF Alm.del Bilag 183
Offentligt
Brussels, 4 M arch 2010M r John DA L L ICom missionerHealth and Consum er Policy
Dear Comm issioner,W e write regarding the Com m ission's decision to authorise the cultivation of the 'Amflora'potato. W e are shock ed that you have made a decision on such a highly controversial issuewithout waiting for the results of the review on EFSA 's environm ental risk assessm ent guidelines.Y ou are probably aware that it is broadly accepted that the long-term-effects of GMO cultivationas well as effects on non-target organism s have, thus far, not adequately been taken into accountin the risk assessm ent fram ework1. In your role as a risk m anager, it is not possible to blindlyfollow EFSA 's opinion on 'A mflora', even though you are aware that serious concerns have beenraised regarding the lack of information on environm ental im pact as well as the very poorlyconducted feeding trials.Furtherm ore, 'Amflora' contains a gene which conveys resistance to antibiotics classified as'critically im portant' and 'increasingly im portant' by the W HO and EM EA . W e find it highlyquestionable that you as the Health Comm issioner authorise a GM plant with an antibioticm ark er gene, against the warning of the A uthority under your responsibility, EuropeanM edicines A gency2. It is irresponsible to authorise varieties for which no or insufficient toxicity orallergy tests have been conducted when these varieties have undergone genetic modifications thathave significant and wide-ranging effects in plant metabolism .In addition, you are certainly aware that there are two conventional potato varieties already onthe m arket which show the sam e characteristics as 'A mflora', but which have not been geneticallym odified. A s resistance to antibiotics are a widely recognised medical problem, any unnecessaryuse of this technology is unjustifiable. How can you place the interests of one com pany higherthan that of the overwhelm ing m ajority of European consum ers, who are against GM Os?W ith regard to your token gift to Mem ber States - the idea of 'renationalising' the decision oncultivation of GMOs - we are very concerned that this will contradict the provisions of theinternal mark et as well as threaten the freedom of choice for consumers. Y ou are aware that insm all-scale European agriculture, contam ination does not stop at borders.
see e.g. Conclusions of the Council of Environmental Ministers of December 2008;http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/envir/104509.pdf2EMEA CVMP/56937/2007; http://www.ema.europa.eu/pdfs/human/opiniongen/5693707en.pdfRue Wiertz • 1047 Belgium . Tel.: +32-2-2843045 • Fax.: +32-2-2307837Allée du printemps • B.P. 1024 • 67070 Strasbourg cedex • France • Tel.: +33-3-88175880 • Fax.: +33-3-88352777www.greens-efa.org
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L ast but not least, we are very disappointed that your comm itment to 'transparency' vis-à-vis theEuropean Parliament seem s to be restricted to inform ing us about a decision as a 'fait accom pli',that is, a few hours before you publish it.Y ours sincerelyOn behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
R ebecca Harm sCo-President
Daniel Cohn-BenditCo-President
Rue Wiertz • 1047 Belgium . Tel.: +32-2-2843045 • Fax.: +32-2-2307837Allée du printemps • B.P. 1024 • 67070 Strasbourg cedex • France • Tel.: +33-3-88175880 • Fax.: +33-3-88352777www.greens-efa.org
